Peaceful Days
by Elly3981
Summary: After the battle at Nagoya Airport, Yuu, Mika and company manages to escape to a remote countryside village to await Yuu's recovery before moving on as well as reflecting on past experiences. After the last few chaotic months, the party finally manages to find some semblance of peace and wishes it could last forever but it is not to be.
1. Moving In

**Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only.**

 **Peaceful Days**

 **1: Moving In**

"What do you think of this place, everyone? Do you find it to your liking?" Shinoa asked as soon as she and the rest of her squad stepped inside the house the villagers had offered them in exchange for their protection from the monsters roaming the area as a result from the battle at the Nagoya Airport that they had just escaped from days ago. It had been a rough trip for everyone, especially with Yuu still comatose and the male squad members having to take turns carrying him.

"It'll have to do" Mika answered as he walked in the door to the spacious living room with the unconscious Yuu on his back. "Besides, we aren't really in any position to pick and choose; we should consider ourselves lucky we're able to find this village and people willing to give us a place to stay, at least until Yuu wakes up."

"He's right" Yoichi said as he set his and Mika's bags on the floor. "I'd never thought the people here would be able to spare us a whole house to stay in; one of the villagers told me it's been a while since the previous resident left but with a bit of cleaning, it should be as good as home."

Kimizuki snorted "Just don't get too comfortable, guys; once they recover from their losses, the demon army and Hiragi top dogs will no doubt be after us again. Not to mention the vamps as well."

Mitsuba placed a hand on his shoulder "We know, Kimizuki. None of us have forgotten that. But please try to stay positive, at least for Yuu's sake; he's exhausted himself using his seraph powers to save us all. It's now our turn to protect him while he regains his strength; we owe him that much at least."

"I hope it won't be too long" said Makoto Narumi, his brow furrowing with worry. "We can't move on with Yuichiro unconscious but we can only stay here for so long before our pursuers track us down. Not to mention we may also endanger the villagers as well."

"Have faith, Narumi" Shinoa said gently. "Yuu's been knocked out more than a few times before but he has never been comatose for more than a week or so."

"I hope you're right, Shinoa" Mika said. "In any case, we should put him to bed for now. From the look of things, the previous owner left behind some usable furniture. I hope that includes some beds in the rooms, otherwise, we'll be sleeping on the floor for a while."

Fortunately for the group, there were enough rooms and beds for everyone. The house was also spacious with two bathrooms, a generous sized kitchen, and dining room. After putting Yuu to bed, the rest of the group unpacked their belongings while Yoichi assisted Mika with getting the comatose youth out of his demon army uniform, which was dirty and stained with dried blood as well as sporting two large holes in the back where his wings bursted out, and into some sleepwear.

"I'm afraid we'll have to throw his uniform away; there's so many cuts and tears and I doubt these blood stains will ever come out" Mika muttered as he held up Yuu's black jacket for inspection.

"It's alright, it's not like he will be needing it anyway since he's no longer a part of the demon army. Or any of us for that matter. But if Yuu wants, I can have another uniform made for him; I'm sure there's a good tailor in the village who can do it." Yoichi said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

Mika could not help but smile. At first, he was dismayed with having to rely on Yuu's other friends but he eventually realized that he would not be able to protect his best friend and adoptive brother alone, even as a complete vampire with superhuman strength.

"Yes, I suppose so. I'm sure Yuu would probably want another uniform regardless" the vampire said as he gently placed a hand on his brother's forehead.

"What about you, Mika? Your own uniform looks worse for wear. Since its white, the blood and stains also stand out more. Would you like to have another one made as well? I'm sure I can arrange it with the village tailor."

"Maybe; I'll think about it. I have other clothes I can wear too and I also prefer not to stand out too much lest I frighten the villagers."

"You're right; we should try to blend in for now. It's still early; we can still go into the village to get food and other things we need. Shinoa and Mitsuba would probably want to stay behind to tidy up the place, but the rest of us can go, what do you say?"

Mika took a look at Yuu for a moment before answering. "Would you mind going without me, at least for today? I just want to make sure Yuu is comfortable and be there when he wakes up."

Yoichi nodded in understanding even though he wasn't sure how long it would be before Yuu woke up; he did want to stay on Mika's good side after all. "I understand. But please don't try to shoulder all the burden by yourself. We'll all take care of Yuu together, ok?"

The younger boy's words startled Mika for they were the exact words Yuu himself had spoken to him when they were still living as vampire livestock in Sanguinem. Was he really that easy to read?

"Is everything all right, Mika?" Yoichi asked curiously upon noticing his surprised expression.

"Yes, of course" the vampire answered quickly as he tried to change the subject. "Just let me stay with Yuu today and I'll go out and hunt tomorrow, ok?"

"Sure thing. Well, I'll be on my way now. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you. See you later."

 **A/N: Ok, first snippet done. I'll be adding more as new ideas come to me so this will be an ongoing project for me. I'm pretty new to this anime/manga and so far, I love it!**


	2. Offerings and Apologies

**2: Offerings and Apologies**

"Here, will this be enough for everyone, Shinoa?" Mika asked as he placed a freshly killed deer from his hunting trip earlier on the kitchen counter.

The Hiragi girl whistled as she examined the carcass. It was a good enough size to feed her entire squad for at least a week. "It's more than enough, Mika, thank you. I didn't know you could hunt."

"I had Yoichi's help; he was the one who actually made the kill. I just used my senses to help him find the animal. Why don't you let me take care of skinning and gutting it while you cut the vegetables?"

Shinoa nodded and held back a sigh of relief at the vampire's offer to do the unpleasant task and turned back to the cutting board where she was peeling and cutting a pile of vegetables. As a vampire, she knew Mika didn't need to eat like the rest of them did but was grateful nonetheless for his willingness to help out with dinner preparations. At the moment, it was just the two of them as Mitsuba was busy doing laundry while the rest of the squad was out hunting monsters as they had promised the villagers in exchange for their room and board. Yuu himself was still unconscious so Mika decided to return early to check up on him but not before doing what he could to help Shinoa prepare dinner. Working quickly, he skinned, gutted, and cut the deer into large chunks to refrigerate while leaving behind enough smaller pieces for Shinoa to cook. Once that was done, Mika quickly washed his hands and left the kitchen to check up on Yuu.

As he expected, his brother was still comatose but his breathing was stronger and more even, indicating that he was vast recovering and should be awake any day now. It was fortunate that Yuu's seraph powers also healed the injury he received from Guren in Nagoya or he would not have made it for it would have been difficult to treat him while the group was on the run and taking him to a hospital would risk all of them being captured, especially Yuu himself. After making sure his brother was all right, Mika returned to the kitchen to help Shinoa finish cooking. As he approached the kitchen, he stopped in the doorway when he saw the Hiragi girl with her back turned to him, her full attention on the stove in front of her as she hummed a soft tune, pleased that her cooking skills have gotten better over the last few weeks. For some reason, Mika felt compelled to just stand there in silence for a few moments to watch Shinoa cook. Looking at her reminded him of gentle Akane, his and Yuu's sister from the Hyakuya orphanage. He remembered how he used to stand in the kitchen doorway in silence and watch Akane cook dinner for him and the rest of their family after returning home from Ferid's mansion for the night and bringing her the ingredients she needed.

Mika frowned at the thought of his late adoptive sister for he knew that Akane would have been around the same age as Shinoa was now if she still lived. Thinking of her was also a painful reminder of how he had foolishly led the other Hyakuya children into a trap that costed them their lives as well as Yuu and himself their humanity. It was a mistake he would regret for the rest of his life and vowed never to repeat, especially not with Yuichiro, the only remainder of his previous family.

Mika was snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Shinoa's voice. "Are you hungry yet, Mika?" she asked. "I'm almost done. Would you please help me out by setting up the table?"

"Yes, of course!" He answered. "How did you know I was here?"

Without turning around, the Hiragi girl smiled. "I heard you walk in. You may be light-footed, but my hearing is quite sharp, Mika" she answered.

Mika found himself amused by Shinoa's answer. Light-footed? At a hundred and forty pounds, the vampire knew he was no light flower but did not argue. "I see" he said simply. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll be setting up the table now if you would be so kind as to tell me where the dishes and utensils are."

"Inside the cupboard in the dining room" she answered.

After the dinner table was set up, Shinoa and Mika wasted no time putting the food on it. It was still a bit early and the others have not returned just yet but Shinoa had reminded everyone earlier to be back by at least six before the food went cold. Mika didn't know if it was coincidence that the Hiragi girl decided to make curry for tonight's dinner. The last time he had it was the night he, Yuu, and the other Hyakuya children tried to leave Sanguinem. Little did he know that with the exception of Yuu, it would be their last meal as well as his own.

After everything was ready, Shinoa suddenly spoke. "Mika, I know you don't really need it, but would you like to join us for dinner? Yuu told me that curry was one of your favorite foods."

Mika frowned as he took one look at the seven bowls of curry on the table, one of which was prepared for him, before turning to Shinoa and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't eat that anymore; I would only throw it up if I tried."

A brief look of hurt appeared on Shinoa's face before she cast her eyes downward. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, I didn't think."

As soon as he saw her expression, Mika felt a pang of guilt curl in his stomach as he realized she might have misunderstood his words to imply that her cooking was bad or that he didn't think it good enough to suit his tastes. As Shinoa turned to leave him, Mika quickly but gently grabbed her hand, making her turn back to face him with a start.

"Shinoa, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that so please don't misunderstand" he apologized as he tried his best to smile. Mika knew he had be difficult and often unreasonable with Yuu's other friends in the past yet even so, they had been patient with him for his brother's sake. He knew that Shinoa had made an enemy of the entire Japanese Imperial Demon Army as well as the Hiragi clan, her own blood relatives, for his sake as well as Yuu's and the rest of her squad's. The least he could do was show her some courtesy. "What I meant was that I literally cannot eat anything the way you do anymore because I no longer have a human digestive system; the only thing I can take as sustenance now is blood. However, I still appreciate your offer and if I ever do become human again, the first thing I would do is eat a big bowl of your curry."

Shinoa smiled as she put her hand on his. "It's ok, Mika, I understand. I have studied vampires for years but it looks like I still don't know everything about them. I've always known that they didn't need to eat food, not that they couldn't, even if they wanted. I will just take this as a learning experience so you don't need to apologize."

Mika shook his head. "No, I do. Not just for the food, I also want to apologize for my rudeness to you in the past; I realize that you were only trying to help me as well as Yuu. What I don't understand is why you are willing to forsake your allegiance to the demon army as well as your own family and stick your neck out for Yuu when there is nothing in it for you." Mika was lying; he already had a good idea why but wanted to hear it from the Hiragi girl's own mouth.

Shinoa blushed as she lowered her eyes again to avoid meeting the vampire's questioning gaze. "I had to, there was no other choice for me" she answered quietly.

"And why is that?" Mika pressed.

Shinoa was silent a moment before she forced herself to meet his eyes. "Because… I love him."

Upon hearing her answer, Mika felt a sense of relief wash over him now that he was certain the Hiragi girl wasn't interested in Yuu merely for his seraph powers.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Shinoa."

"You are?" she asked in surprised confusion.

"Yes" Mika said as he gently raised her hand to his lips. "I am grateful that there is at least one person I can trust with my brother's well-being."

Shinoa gently took her hand back before taking Mika's face in both of her hands. "Mikaela, you can trust all of us, not just me. We care for Yuichiro as well as anyone else he holds dear; we would never betray him…or you. If you believe nothing else I say, please believe that."

"I do… Yuichiro is the closest I've ever had to a brother of my own. Did he ever tell you about the time we had tried to escape our captivity by the vampires in Sanguinem when we were kids?"

Shinoa nodded as she let go of his face. "He mentioned it though he did not go into much detail except that it was a disaster; I've always assumed it wasn't something he was comfortable talking about so I never pressed him out of respect for his grief and privacy. I'm sure it had a lot to do with his feelings of survivor's guilt because he thought he was the only one who made it out alive."

"There is no reason for Yuu to feel guilty about anything. The whole thing was my idea. I was the one who stole the gun and map from Ferid Bathory's mansion and proposed that we escape with the rest of our family. I knew Yuu had his doubts but still went along with my plan; he trusted me and I let him down. Not only that, I also got our other brothers and sisters killed as well and for the rest of my life, I will live with that guilt. I was young, reckless, and stupid and I made a horrible mistake. I just don't want Yuu to pay for it any more than he already has. Do you understand, Shinoa?"

Shinoa was silent for a moment as she slowly processed Mika's words. "Yes…I do. But we all make mistakes, Mikaela, it's a fact of life and part of being human."

"Some mistakes can never be fixed."

"I can't argue with that. Even so, you must still at least try to move on. I'm sure your brothers and sisters would want you to go on with your life and be happy."

"I don't deserve it… but thank you."

Shinoa wanted to protest but she knew it would be pointless. She really hoped that someday Mika will be able to let go of his feelings of guilt and self-loathing but for the moment thought it best to leave it at that and change the subject.

"Well thank you for believing in me, Mikaela. Its means a great deal to me. Let's go get the others before the food goes cold, shall we?

Before Mika could answer, he and Shinoa was startled to see Yuu, who was now fully awake, walk into the dining room in his pajamas and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Yuu, you're finally awake!" Mika cried as he ran to his brother and took him in a fierce hug.

"Mika? Shinoa? Where am I? What happened? How did I end up here?"

"First things, first" Shinoa began "We're about to have dinner. Please get changed and I will explain everything."

"Changed?" Yuu looked down and realized for the first time that he was not in his black demon army uniform. "Oh, well I would if I had anything else to wear."

"Don't worry about that, I've brought some new clothes for you" Shinoa assured. "Mika, I left the clothes in the closet of Yuu's new room. Help him get dressed before the others get here."

Upon hearing her words, Yuu blushed as he shook himself out of his brother's grasp. "Uh, no thank you, I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself. Now if you'll excuse me!" Before Mika or Shinoa could say another word, the object of their concern dashed out of the dining room to get changed. After Yuu was gone, the Hiragi girl could not help but smile. Now that he was finally awake, things were starting to look up and somehow, she knew Mikaela felt the same.

 **A/N: Whew, chapter two done! This one came out faster than I thought; I hope I've kept both Mika and Shinoa IC. Please let me know what you think!**


	3. Reflection

**3: Reflection**

Mika gave a sigh as he opened the door to his bedroom and closed the door behind him after stepping inside. It was nearly ten and the rest of his friends have retired for the night for the villagers expected them to be up by the crack of dawn tomorrow to resume their monster extermination duties as well as helping out with other work around the village if they still wanted to keep their current home. It has been nearly three months since the battle at Nagoya and Yuu as well as Kimizuki had long since recovered from their injuries but the squad cannot move on just yet because Yuu still needed time to learn how to control and restrain the demon within himself which required him to be chained up at least two to three, hours a day, sometimes even longer, with Mika guarding and watching over him. Shinoa and the others offered to take turns watching Yuu but Mika insisted that he was best suited for the task since he was the only one remotely strong enough to restrain Yuu if he managed to break his chains. Not to mention that he also felt it was best if the villagers saw as little of him as possible, being a vampire and all.

So far, Mika, Shinoa, and the others have seen little progress which worried them because it was dangerous for the group to move on while Yuichiro was still unstable and on top of that, they knew it would only be a matter of time before their pursuers tracked them down; they were already lucky they have been able to hide for as long as they have. Not only were they hunted by Hiragis and Japanese Imperial Demon Army, but also the most powerful vampire progenitors as well. After what happened at Nagoya, Mika had no doubt that leaders on both sides of the war would love to get their hands on Yuu for the power housed within his body, a power that even he could not fully control which made it all the more frightening and dangerous. Mika just knew that if his brother were to fall into the hands of the wrong people, there would be a disaster the likes of which the world has never seen and unlike the epidemic of eight years ago, there would be no survivors this time.

And it was all Mika's fault. Even if the others as well as Yuu himself told him otherwise, Mikaela Hyakuya knew the truth. If he had not fallen for Ferid Bathory's trap all those years ago, the demon army, or more specifically, Guren Ichinose, Yuu's former guardian, would have never have been able to get a hold of him to exploit his powers in the first place. Sure, life in Sanguinem was tough but if Mika had planned things more carefully, they might have found another way to escape without getting everybody killed and Mika himself might never have been changed into a vampire.

As he thought this over, the young vampire scoffed at his own naiveté. Who was he kidding? Even if he, Yuu, and the others had managed to get away from Ferid and escape to the outside, they would have never been able to survive on their own for long anyway. In fact, they all would have died a slow and agonizing death from either disease, starvation, or both. Their vampire captors might have treated them as livestock but at least they were fed, clothed, housed, and given medical care when needed.

Mika shook his head as he turned on the lamp next to his night-table and went into the bathroom where he planned to take a shower before heading to bed. He knew there was no point in having these thoughts now. What was done is done. He could only pray that Akane and his other brothers and sisters who did not survive his failed escape plan would forgive him for sending them to their untimely deaths. If he were still human, he would at least have the hope of meeting them in the afterlife after he died to beg their forgiveness but looking into the mirror, Mika knew he would be denied even that. After becoming a vampire nearly five years ago, he hardly ever looked at himself in the mirror, especially after drinking his brother's blood and becoming a complete vampire because he knew that no matter how often he saw his reflection, he would never like it or get used to it regardless of how handsome others may find him, especially with his fangs, pointed ears, and new ruby-red eyes. They were a part of his own body and even _he_ could hardly bear to look at them for they were a painful reminder of what he was and may forever be.

A vampire. An ageless, immortal vampire forever thirsting for blood.

Unless…

He could become human again.

And that hope, given to him by Yuichiro, was his new reason to live.

 **A/N: Ok, I'm going to cut this snippit off here and work on the next. Let me know what you think!**


	4. A Note to my Reviewers

**A Note to My Reviewers**

I would like to thank my first two reviewers and fellow FF members MissAudacious13 and Owanosegirl for taking time to review what I have so far. I've been taking a break from my Final Fantasy Tactics fic to write for SotE which I have recently gotten into, having read the manga up to chapter 46 and watched the anime which I really enjoyed and hope will continue in the future.

I would like to point out that I know I portray the characters as a bit more mature then they were in the canon story. It's pretty obvious that Yuu, Shinoa, Kimizuki, and Mitsuba behaved a bit childishly while Yoichi was shy and insecure early in the anime/manga but I believe it's a safe bet that they would have all matured a great deal after everything they have experienced in the battle of Shinjuku and Nagoya, hence the more mature manner of behavior I have portrayed them in my collection of snippits. Shinoa used to be a bit too light-hearted and playful with all the jokes she's been playing on her squad until Guren pointed out that such behavior could end up getting her squad members killed; a lapse in judgment on one soldier's part could cost the lives of many which I thought was hauntingly prophetic when Shinoa's decision to protect Mika when he came for Yuu was at least partly responsible for the loss of Narumi's squad. Yoichi seemed painfully shy and insecure at the beginning but becomes more confident and daring later on.

As for Mika, he is still leery of humans but eventually realizes that he is going to have to trust the rest of Shinoa's squad because it would be virtually impossible for him to protect Yuu with his strength alone just as Yuu himself realized earlier on that he would have to trust his squad because he cannot take on the vampires alone. I plan to have many Mika/Yuu moments in my collection but also want to bring the interactions of other characters into play such as Shinoa/Mitsuba, Shinoa/Narumi, and Yoichi/Kimizuki and so on. One thing I really love about this series is the multiple déjà vu moments and watching the characters change and grow as the story progresses. Again, thanks to all my readers and reviewers; I hope most of the fans will find my works pleasing because I will certainly do my best .


	5. What Makes a Family

**4: What Makes a Family**

Makoto Narumi wiped the sweat off his brow as he took a brief moment from fixing the wall of the shed that Yuu had punched a large hole in during one of his demonic transformations after he had managed to break one of his restraints. Fortunately, Mika had managed to hold him down long enough for Shiona and Mitsuba to put on another demon restraint talisman until Yuu finally calmed down enough to revert to his human form. Since his transformations were unpredictable, Mika insisted on being near Yuu at all times and the brothers were currently taking a walk together on the beach near the village while Narumi repaired the shed. He had been at it for a few hours and was nearly finished when he heard light footsteps heading his direction. Turning, he saw Shinoa with two tea cups in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other.

"Are you thirsty, Narumi-san? You've been at this for three hours already and I assume you might want something to drink since its pretty hot today. Mitsuba also wanted to know if you'll be done soon because dinner should be ready in an hour or so."

Narumi smiled. "You left Miss Sangu in charge of the kitchen, Miss Hiragi? Isn't that a little dangerous?" he teased. Shinoa laughed.

"I'd try not to let her hear that if I were you, Narumi-san, not unless you want to go without dinner for the next week or so."

"Of course, I'm just kidding. Yes, I would like some water, thank you." Putting down his tools, the former demon army sergeant took a seat on a large nearby wooden crate and invited Shinoa to do the same. Taking his invitation, the Hiragi girl poured him a cup of water before sitting down next to him. She also left the door to the shed open so they can enjoy the view outside while they sat and drank. From what the pair could see, the sun would be setting soon and they'll be expected inside the house for dinner when the others returned from their work in the village. Pouring herself a cup of water, Shinoa set the pitcher on the ground next to her before raising the cup to her lips as her older comrade did the same.

"Will you be finished soon?" she asked. "If there's still a lot of work left, you can finish tomorrow. If need be, we can put Yuu somewhere else if he shows signs of transforming."

Narumi shook his head "No, I'm almost done. And besides, I feel that this is the safest place we can restrain him since its far enough from the house and the village for them to avoid being damaged if he transforms. I'd have to finish it as soon as possible."

"I see… when do you think you'll be done?"

"Just another half hour or so. There's not much left to be fixed. I've been talking to Kimizuki about how we can strengthen the walls to better withstand Yuu's struggling; he thinks he can use his demon, Kiseki-O, to pull it off."

"Sounds like a good idea. But you know that it would be best if Yuu could find a way to restrain himself. I'm sure he's doing the best he can but I still worry about him to be honest. We should consider ourselves lucky we haven't seen any signs of the vampires or demon army yet."

"I don't think that should come as a surprise since both sides suffered heavy losses at Nagoya. All we can do for now is hope that will buy us and Yuu enough time to control his powers; I believe they can be a great asset to us."

"You could be right" Shinoa agreed. "Say, Narumi-san, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, if you pour me another cup."

The Hiragi girl smiled as she complied and poured her comrade another cup of water as well as herself before asking the question that had been on her mind for a while. "Why did you choose to come with us? After all, Yuichiro isn't your problem."

Narumi raised a brow at his younger comrade's question. "Why did I come? Well, now's a fine time to ask since neither of us can go back!"

Shinoa frowned, thinking Narumi must have been displeased at her question. "Sorry if I offended you, Narumi-san; forget that I asked. I think I better return to the kitchen and give Mitsuba a hand before the others get back."

As she got up to leave, Shinoa felt Narumi's hand close gently around her wrist. "There's no need to apologize, Shinoa, I'm not offended" he said gently. "To answer your question, I came because I can no longer follow the demon army or the Hiragis now that I've seen their true colors. Not to mention the fact that I openly committed an act of insubordination towards your big brother, Kureto. There's no way I can ever go back to the demon army now. I'm pretty sure your reasons are the same?"

Shinoa frowned. Narumi was right. She had never really been close to any of the other Hiragis and always saw her older siblings as being cold and distant as well as her father, General Tenri Hiragi, the head of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. Ironically, it was Shinya, her adopted brother, who treated her like a sister more then her blood brothers ever did and she regretted having to leave him behind when she ordered her squad to flee Nagoya but she knew that Shinya would be all right since he was worth more to the Hiragis alive then dead, unlike herself. Shinoa couldn't say she was surprised that Kureto did not hesitate to order her execution when she chose to defy him to protect Yuu and her other squad members. Their father wouldn't have cared one way or the other and they both knew it. After all, Tenri Hiragi had no patience for weaklings or insubordinate soldiers in the demon army, even if they were his own children.

"Yes, you're right" she answered. "Do you believe it strange that I think of my squad as more of a family then my own blood relatives?" It was the first time Shinoa had asked anyone such a question. Even though she was the leader of her squad, Shinoa often found herself turning to Narumi for advice as he was the oldest and most experienced fighter of the group. She had also been wanting to apologize to him for the loss of his previous squad for some time but wasn't sure on how to go about it, fearing that bringing them up might put a strain on her new-found partnership with Narumi and she did need him as an ally. If Narumi was still angry with her for Yayoi's and Taro's loss which was partly her fault or Rika's and Shusaku's loss which was Kureto's, he didn't show it, maybe because his rational side told him that there were more pressing matters to worry about at the moment like keeping Yuichiro from falling into the wrong hands.

Narumi was silent for a moment as if contemplating her question and Shinoa wondered if she asked him something he might not have any idea on how to answer since this was different from their previous discussions on what they should do and where they should go once Yuu finally gains full control of his powers. Not wanting to waste his time further, Shinoa apologized again. "I'm sorry, Narumi-san. It was a silly question that has nothing to do with our current situation. If you'll excuse me."

"It's all right, Shinoa, I don't mind. I should get back to work and finish fixing up the hole before the others get back. Why don't you go make sure Mitsuba doesn't burn the kitchen down?" he said with a wink.

The Hiragi girl laughed as she got up to leave. "You're right, Narumi-san. I'll see you at the dinner table then."

After picking up the cups and water pitcher in her hands, Shinoa was about to walk through the door of the shed when she heard her older comrade calling out to her from behind.

"Shinoa."

"Yes?" she asked, turning around to face Narumi.

"To answer your second question, I don't think it strange at all you that you see your squad as family more than the Hiragis."

"And why is that?"

"Because… blood and genetics are not what makes a family- love does."

 **A/N: Ok, fourth snippet done. I hope you all enjoyed it! Since Narumi doesn't come in until about half-way through the Nagoya Arc, I had to take some liberties about his character based on what I've seen in the anime and manga. Though I try to stay IC and canon as possible, sometimes I might wander a bit off to make my stories work out. I hope it won't be too much of an issue for the fans. See you next chapter :)**


	6. Never Useless

**5: Never Useless**

"Remember to never let your guard down, especially at this close a range, Yoichi!" Shiho Kimizuki cried as he took a quick swipe at the smaller boy with one of his twin swords. Yoichi Satome quickly blocked the attack with his bow and withdrawing a short sword from his own belt with his other hand, plunged it into the gut of his sparring partner with such force he thought his wrist would break. Kimizuki crumpled to the ground like a wilted lily, making sure to let go of one of his swords and place his arm and palm of his hand flat against the ground as well as tucking his chin closer to his chest to avoid hitting his head, a technique called 'slapping out' that he learned while still in training for the demon army.

After taking a moment to catch his breath, the pink-haired youth smiled at his younger comrade and 'pupil'. "You did great, Yoichi. How about we call it a day?" he asked as he pulled up his uniform jacket to reveal a shirt of chain mail beneath that he had obtained from one of the villagers. The wound from Yoichi's sword was only shallow, he'd live. Were it not for that simple piece of armor, his partner would have easily disemboweled him.

Yoichi smiled as he offered a hand to help his older comrade up. "Sure, if you say so. Though if you'd like, I can go on a little longer."

Kimizuki shook his head before taking Yoichi's hand "Nah, we've already been at this for like three hours already. We better head back soon if we want to make it in time for dinner or Yuu might end up eating our portions too; that guy has a monstrous appetite."

Yoichi laughed "I'd try not to let him hear that if I were you. You don't want to speed up his demon transformation, do you?"

Upon the mention of Yuu's struggle with his inner demon, Kimizuki frowned for a brief moment before managing a smile but not before Yoichi realized his mistake.

"Sorry, bad joke" he apologized. Yoichi knew their current situation was no laughing matter and was relieved that there was no one else around to hear him other than his sparring partner who had taken it upon himself to train Yoichi to hold his own in melee combat in case an enemy soldier ever happened to get past his other comrades and attack him at close range where his bow might not be as useful. Yoichi assured Kimizuki that his bow could still be used as a weapon even at close range and without arrows but had to agree with him that it would not be as effective a weapon as those of their other comrades so he gave in to Kimizuki's suggestion to train him in the art of sword-fighting. Though he was still nowhere near as good as Yuu, Mika, or Kimizuki himself, Yoichi was vast improving with all the effort he had put into his training. Since his specialty was long-distance fighting, Yoichi knew he was more useful as a sniper so his only goal with the sword was to be able to defend himself should the situation ever demanded it. Every day after they had finished the work the villagers asked of them, Kimizuki and Yoichi would meet in the forest behind the village for their sparring sessions which lasted for however much time they could spare before dinner.

"It's all right, I know you didn't mean it like that" Kimizuki said. "How about yourself? Have you gotten comfortable with the blade yet? I made sure to get the lightest and strongest one the village weaponsmith had available."

Yoichi swiped his sword through the empty air and nodded before using a cloth to wipe off his partner's blood from the blade. The sword Kimizuki bought for him was short, only half the length of the ones used by Yuichiro and Mikaela, but still good enough to serve his purpose since he only intended to use it on the defensive, not offensive like the other two "Yes, I think I have; thank you so much for buying and teaching me how to use it."

Kimizuki smiled and gently patted his pupil's back. "I hope you will never have to use it but it never hurts to be prepared."

"I know what you mean. If I had your strength, or Yuu's or Mika's, I'd have become a swordsman myself. But my only talent is sniping; I wish I could be more useful" As he said this, Yoichi frowned. He hated it that he was not as physically strong as his other male comrades and that he could only support them from the back. Though he did not say it, Kimizuki knew what he was thinking. Gently taking his younger comrade by the shoulders, he looked straight into Yoichi's olive-green eyes and said:

"You are neither weak nor useless, Yoichi. An effective squad and army needs people of all talents. Shinya Hiragi is not a close-range fighter either yet he managed to help us turn the tide of battle at Shinjuku, remember? And if it wasn't for _you,_ we wouldn't have been able to ambush and take down that creepy bastard, Lucal Wesker, as well. So please don't ever think you are weak or useless; you are anything but. You're the only one in the squad with your talents and we need them; nobody can replace you."

Yoichi smiled at his friend's words of reassurance. His frail appearance and gentle nature had made others, including Kimizuki, doubt his ability to perform on the battlefield at first but the boy had proven himself many times over. His experiences at the battles of Shinjuku and Nagoya had made him more confident and the physical labor, hunting, and sparring he had engaged in during these last few months at the village have made him physically stronger as well. If one were to spare a moment to look closely, he or she could see that Yoichi's shoulders have become broader, his arms and legs more defined with sparring and the constant use of his bow for hunting monsters as well as animals for food; his sword training have also sharpened his reflexes as well. Yoichi had become almost a master at archery and could hit up to dozens of targets on end with astounding accuracy, something that no one else in their squad was able to do.

"Thanks, Kimizuku, that makes me feel a lot better."

"I'm not saying this just to make you feel better, Yoichi, I really mean it. We already have enough swordsmen in the squad; you need to do what you're best at and your sniping skills are invaluable to our mission which at this moment, is to protect Yuichiro."

"You're right. We all have something that we do best and we have to use them to help each other. Without that kind of teamwork, we would never have any fighting chance against the vampires. Though it does sound strange for me to say that considering that we have one fighting on our side now."

Kimizuki released Yoichi's shoulders and frowned at the mention of their new vampire companion whom they have met on the opposite side of the battlefield. "Speaking of which, do you really think we can trust that blond vamp, Yoichi?"

Yoichi laughed. "You know, that 'blond vamp' as you like to call him does have a name. It's Mikaela Hyakuya and he is Yuichiro's brother. They may not be related by blood, but you know what I mean. I trust him with Yuu's safety and well-being more than I would most humans."

"Mikaela Hyakuya…" Kimizuki repeated, the name still leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. In the last three months, he had spoken very little with the brother of Yuichiro as he had not yet gotten over their last unpleasant encounter on opposites sides of the battlefield where Mika had given him a head-butt nearly hard enough to crack his skull when he had refused to comply with the vampire's demand to hand over the unconscious Yuu. "Asides from Yuu, he seems to be a bit more open with Shinoa and yourself. How is he? What do you make of him?"

"Well, all I know about his past is from what Yuu had told me. They've both had it pretty rough and I can understand why Mika is leery of humans considering what the demon army did to Yuu. Hell, I'm human myself and I'm still leery of other humans as well, especially after what Kureto Hiragi did at Nagoya; he didn't hesitate to sacrifice his own soldiers to revive the seraph of the end. I really believe that's worse than vampires taking humans captive to use as livestock. As for Mika himself, he really isn't bad once you get to know him; I can sense that he is really a gentle person who does not enjoy fighting and wanton killing like other vampires. I may not agree with him on everything but I do believe his heart is in the right place; he won't betray us, Kimizuki."

The pink-haired youth sighed. "I hope you're right, Yoichi; I sure wish I had your optimism and faith. You always try to see the good in people no matter what. Well, we better start heading back; it's starting to get dark."

"Right. How's your wound? I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?"

Kimizuki laughed. "Nah, it's just a scratch, nothing to get worked up over; I've had worse."

"I see. Let's get going then."

 **A/N: Ok, 5** **th** **snippit done. I hope you enjoyed this one; I apologize for the unexciting sparring part since I don't write fight scenes that well. I'll be working on a Mika/Yuu snippet next! Please look forward to it!"**


	7. Painfully Good

**6: Painfully Good**

"Mika, are you awake?" Yuichiro Hyakuya asked in a low voice as he knocked gently on the door to his brother's room after looking around to make sure no one else was around. It was past ten and the rest of the squad had retired to their rooms for the night once they had finished cleaning up after dinner. It was normal for them to be asleep by that hour and be up by around seven for breakfast before heading out into the village and surrounding areas to work though Shinoa and Mitsuba would get up an hour earlier to cook for them; most of the girls' work was around the house and in the village while the guys' were hunting monsters and animals for food as well as any repair work the villagers asked of them. The only exception was Yuu and Mika. The 'Hyakuya Brothers', as the villagers called them, were almost never seen apart from each other and though they performed none of the work the other members of Shiona's squad did, no one complained so long as they, or specifically Mikaela, did not cause any trouble. Now that he was a complete vampire, he could no longer hide the obvious traits of his kind such as his pointed ears and ruby-red eyes even though he tried his best to keep his mouth shut in public at all times to hide his fangs.

It was obvious the villagers feared and distrusted Mikaela; they were even suspicious of Yuichiro as well because he was almost always seen with the vampire and though he appeared to be completely human, the villagers could sense that there was more to him than meets the eye due to the vibes he gave off. Knowing this, the brothers thought it best that they do not venture into the village unless it was truly necessary to avoid frightening the people there for unknown to them, Mika needed to be near Yuu as much as possible in case the demon within his brother took control of his mind and body. The rest of Shinoa's squad could only stop Yuu if they were armed but Mika did not need to be; he was strong enough to restrain his brother with his bare hands should he ever transform suddenly which made him an invaluable member of the squad. Not to mention that they could use another skilled swordsman in addition to Yuichiro and Kimizuki.

After waiting for a moment in silence, Yuu breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he saw the door open and Mika standing before him on the other side. To avoid drawing the attention of the vampires or demon army as well as blending in with the villagers, everyone in the squad wore civilian clothes when venturing outside, the only exception being while they were hunting monsters. Yuu and Mika were both dressed in casual dress shirts as well as slacks; the vampire did not change into his sleepwear because he was expecting a visit from his brother. It was normal for Yuu to visit his room at this hour of the night or vice versa because Yuu felt that it was his obligation to provide Mika with sustenance since constantly watching over him was a tiring chore for the vampire even though he never uttered a word of complaint.

Mika said nothing but made a silent gesture for his brother to come in. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Yuu asked "How are you feeling, Mika?"

Mika managed a tired smile before answering "Same as always, Yuu. I'm hungry."

"You know, you don't have to come to dinner with the rest of us if you don't want to; it would be pointless for you since you can't eat. I know you really don't enjoy being there." Although Mika tried his best to hide it, his brother could tell that he felt ill at ease sitting at the dinner table with the rest of their squad knowing that he could consume nothing but blood while everyone else around him was eating fruit, meat, bread, butter, desserts, and other things he could no longer enjoy. Looking at them made Mika remember how much he missed the taste of real food and how, during the first few months after Krul had changed him, he attempted to consume human food and drink, believing they will sate his thirst for blood only to find out that he was dead wrong as he threw up anything he attempted to eat or drink asides from blood, even water. Worst still, he couldn't even taste them.

"No, it's all right, Yuu" he said. "I need to be there for our discussions and plans on what to do, especially with you. Even if I cannot eat or drink. My personal comfort is irrelevant."

Yuichiro sighed. He knew it would be pointless to argue with his brother further. "If you say so, Mika. So shall we begin?"

Mika nodded and stepped aside for Yuu to approach his bed. Feeding him had become a daily or rather, nightly duty for Yuu and they found that the most comfortable positions for his feeding sessions were with Yuu either sitting on his bed and leaning against the wall or lying down on it which was much more comfortable than the first time Mika took his blood in that run down convenience store back in the city. After Yuu had removed his shirt and assumed the position he found most comfortable tonight, which was leaning against the wall, he made a beckoning gesture for Mika to come. The vampire obeyed as he climbed on the bed, got on his knees next to Yuu, and gently took his brother by the shoulders after he had cocked his head to the side to give Mika access to his tender neck. Since they were alone, Yuu preferred to be shirtless during their feeding sessions to prevent bloodstains from getting on his shirt because he just knew Shinoa would give him hell if she had any idea he was continuing to feed Mika every night like this in secret but the blood of their other squad members was not enough to sate his brother's thirst. It was times like these that Yuu wished he had an endless supply of blood just so that Mika could feed to his heart's content and without worrying anyone else.

After having done this so many times already, Yuu no longer even flinched when he felt Mika's sharp fangs pierced his skin. The first time his brother bit him, he had expected the pain to be beyond his worst nightmares but quickly discovered that it wasn't as painful as he had previously thought, quite the opposite. When first bitten, Yuu had felt a sweet pain in his neck that also felt oddly pleasant as well. Once the fangs have settled in, both of them became consumed by a purely blissful, indescribable feeling that touched every nerve of their bodies, a pleasure unlike any he had ever felt. If Yuu were to make a comparison, it would be like…

The pleasure of passion.

The raven-haired youth blushed as he thought about this, grateful that Mika was too pre-occupied by feeding to see how red his face was. Yuu wondered why he thought about that just now. What did he know of passion since he was still a virgin as both Guren and Shinoa delighted in reminding him almost every day? Yuu swore that if he got a nickel for every time his former guardian called him a 'cherry boy', he'd be filthy rich by now. Not that he actually thought being a virgin was something to be ashamed of; he hardly ever gave love and relationships much thought since he had been so obsessed with exterminating vampires in the four years he and Mika had been separated but now that he knew his brother was alive and well, he found his mind pondering such thoughts, especially whenever Mika was feeding off of him. According to vampires (and humans who enter consensual relations with them), the act of drinking blood directly from the source was a very personal and intimate act between both parties. For a vampire to take blood from a human (or another vampire) without consent would be an act of violation akin to rape.

Though Mika could not see his brother's face, he felt Yuu's heart beat faster, his breathing heavier, and his body temperature rise slightly as his blood became hotter in Mika's mouth as well. Though he never said so, Mika knew it was a sign that Yuu was becoming aroused despite his best attempts to keep a groan of pleasure from escaping his lips. Another giveaway was the ravenette wrapping his arms around Mika to pull him even closer and gently running his fingers through Mika's soft blond hair, even playing with the tip of his pointed ears, all while being totally unaware of what he was doing.

 _Strange how he willingly gives me his blood when he used to complain about the vampires taking ours when we were kids. Could it be different with me because we are family?_ Mika thought as he savored the taste of Yuu's blood on his tongue. As a namanari (and a virgin), his blood was different from that of ordinary humans like the rest of Shinoa's squad. Not only was it more filling and satisfying to Mika, Yuu's blood tasted absolutely divine. If he were to make a comparison between his brother's blood and that of the other humans, it would be like comparing water to fine wine though Mika would never say so to avoid offending their other friends. Though he could technically last a few days without any blood. Mika would be able to protect Yuu and the others best if he was well-nourished for that was when he was at his strongest and they both knew it but Mika could not help but wonder if Yuu offered his blood to him as often as he did because he enjoyed it as well since he never thought of giving his blood to a vampire as a pleasant experience considering how the vampires took their blood by inserting thick needles into their fragile necks when they were still livestock living in Sanguinem.

But Mika supposed it was different this time since Yuu was giving him his blood because he wanted to, not because he was forced to. They both knew that humans who willingly gave their blood to vampires or entered relationships with them were shunned and looked down upon by other humans, especially if they did so for money and other favors like Mika did with Ferid Bathory, their former benefactor. When thinking about the silver-haired vampire, Yuu could not help but feel a pang of jealously as he wondered if Mika felt the way Yuu himself did when Ferid was drinking his blood since he too, gave it to the noble of his own free will.

 _No, that was different._ Yuu told himself. _Mika only did it because he wanted to provide for me and the rest of our family. He would have never willingly given his blood away like that otherwise. I'm doing this because I want to help Mika, not because I'm getting anything out of it._

 _Or am I? I know this should be wrong but why does it feel so painfully good?_

As he pondered the thought, the raven-haired youth found himself feeling light-headed as a wave of dizziness washed over him. Whenever this happened, Yuu knew that it was time and gave Mika the signal they had agreed upon that told the vampire his doner had given all he could for the night. Releasing his fingers from Mika's hair, Yuu took his hand and gently patted his brother on the back three times, prompting Mika to release him immediately but not before licking the puncture wounds on his neck clean, causing goosebumps to rise on his skin. To avoid rousing the suspicion of the others, Mika tried biting Yuu someplace different every night, rotating from both sides of his neck and shoulders to the inside of both his wrists so that each part had enough time to heal before being punctured again. Yuu himself did his best to hide the bite marks on his body by wearing collared shirts with long sleeves. So far, their plan had worked since nobody else in the squad, including Shinoa herself, had taken notice or said anything.

"How do you feel?" Mika asked.

"I'm ok. Just a little tired but that's good and all since I'm going to bed soon anyway. I should be fine in the morning."

"Do you need me to help you to your room?"

Yuu laughed softly as he got up and put his shirt back on. "No, it's ok. I may be a bit tired, but I'm not that weak. And besides, my room is right next to yours, remember?"

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything. Sorry I have to put you through this every night."

Yuu shook his head as prepared to take his leave. "It's no bother at all!" he insisted "In fact, it feels go—" Yuu cut himself off when he realized what he was saying. Mika could not help but smile mischievously.

"It feels what, Yuu-chan?" he pressed, using the endearment he had called his brother when they were children. He rarely did so now that they were grown-up unless it was in a somewhat humorous situation.

 _Shit, did I just say that out loud?_ Yuu thought in embarrassment as he scrambled to find the words to cover up his blunder. When he finally found them, he laughed nervously.

"It feels good knowing I can help you in any way I can!"

Though Yuichiro tried to sound as confident as possible, Mikaela knew he wasn't being entirely truthful but decided to humor his brother and not call him out on it.

"I see… so you'll be back tomorrow? Same time? Or shall I go to your room instead?"

"No, I'll come here! Good night, Mika, sweet dreams!" Yuu cried, hoping Mika could not see how much he was blushing as the room was only dimly-lit by moonlight. But he knew vampires had sharper senses, including eyesight, then humans so before Mika could say anything else, Yuu quickly opened the door and darted out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him, trying his best not the slam the door behind him and wake their other comrades.

After his brother was gone, Mika could not help but laugh quietly to himself. It felt good to be able to laugh and smile a bit more often than he did while serving in the vampire army. It was almost like he was that cheerful, optimistic, and light-hearted little boy that Yuu became drawn to eight years ago again.

 _"You'll be back, Yuu-chan. You always do."_

 **A/N: Phew, finally a Yuu and Mika solo snippet! I hope you like this one, I'll try to make a few more in the future even though I like to have the other characters come into play as well. Please, please review and let me know what you think of this one!**


	8. Insufferable

**Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only.**

 **7: Insufferable**

Mikaela Hyakuya wiped the sweat from his brow as he entered the house he was sharing with his comrades in Shiona's squad after leaving Yuu to sleep off the effects of his latest demon transformation in the shed when he heard a piercing scream coming from the kitchen. Sighing, the young vampire broke into a run and entered the kitchen just in time to see Shinoa and Mitsuba trying to put out the fire from their latest cooking mishap. Although both girls have gotten a lot better at cooking for the squad in the last few months, their adventurous tendencies when it came to food preparation often backfired when trying to come up with new recipes to impress and catch the attention of their squad mates. Or rather, two squadmates in particular.

"Damn, what did you girls do this time!?" Mika shouted in frustration as he entered the kitchen just in time to see Shinoa and Mitsuba throwing water over the stove to put out the fire they started when they attempted to make Korean barbeque. Thankfully, he didn't have to do much because the girls had managed to put out most of the fire on their own but unfortunately, they were going to have a bit of a mess to clean up from the ash and soot, not to mention that they were going to have to start cooking all over again. Fortunately, they still had another two hours or so before the rest of the squad came home for dinner and by that time, Yuu would be awake to join them as well. It was times like these that Mika was glad his brother was asleep and recuperating from his demon transformations for trying to keep the girls from burning down the kitchen and the house from their cooking adventures would have sapped his much-needed strength to fight his inner demon even more.

After the fire was put out, Mika turned to Shinoa and Mitsuba and gave them an exasperated look. "You two always make such a mess of things, do you? Is it too much to ask that you not burn down the kitchen and destroy the food while the rest of us are gone?"

Mitsuba glared at him. "Well, excuse me, Mr. Hyakuya!" she huffed. "Unlike you, some of us do require actual food which takes time and effort to make and if we don't eat well, you certainly won't either!"

Mika returned her glare "You know what would be great, _Miss Sangu_? If I can leave you girls alone for just five minutes without fear of you destroying the house we live in. That would be great!"

Even though she knew it was Mitsuba's fault the food caught fire and not her own, Shinoa remained silent throughout Mika's rants. She didn't want to stress the young vampire further since she knew he needed his strength to watch over Yuu so the Hiragi girl was willing to equally share the blame. Mitsuba, unfortunately, didn't share her insight.

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Hyakuya! If you think you can do better, I'd like to see you try! And I don't like the way you said _Miss Sangu!"_

Mika huffed. "Well, tough luck, _Miss Sangu_ , I'll say it any way I want! Why don't you use that pea brain of yours for something other than impractical cooking methods that might burn us out of house and home!"

Mitsuba finally lost it. "Argh!" she shouted before reaching for a small bag of flour and hurling it towards Mika's direction. The blond vampire had no time to react before the bag made contact with his face and busted open, almost completely covering him in white powder before the Sangu girl's face turned red in embarrassment and ran out of the kitchen as fast as her legs could carry her. The whole scene was so hilarious that Shinoa couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.

After wiping the flour from his eyes, Mika scowled at Shinoa. "Well, I'm glad at least one of us finds this amusing" he growled.

Still smiling, the Hiragi girl took a clean cloth and approached the blond vampire. He stood still as she proceeded to clean the flour off his face and shirt. "Please excuse Mitsu; she may be…difficult at times but she only has all of our best interests at heart. Even yours. She just didn't want us to get bored eating the same foods night after night so that's why she's always experimenting with new things."

Mika sighed. "I understand but is there any way Mitsuba could cook without it becoming a complete disaster?"

Now it was Shinoa's turn to scowl. "Mikaela, we're soldiers, not professional cooks. And we're still learning. If it will make you feel better, I will never leave Mitsuba alone in the kitchen, ok?"

Although that didn't sound very reassuring to the young vampire, Mika decided that that will have to do. He didn't want to waste any more time or breath arguing. "Fine" he said. "I'll leave you two to it. I better go change and check on Yuu now. If you'll excuse me, Miss Hiragi."

Shinoa said no more and nodded as she watched Mikaela leave the kitchen. They still had another two to three hours before dinnertime and she needed Mitsuba's help to clean the kitchen and resume cooking so Shinoa made her way to her friend's room where she knew Mitsuba would be. This wasn't the first time she had gotten into an argument with their new vampire friend. It was quite rare to see the Sangu girl all flustered up; the last time Shinoa had seen Mitsuba so was when Yuichiro disobeyed her direct orders and broke formation to save a little girl from a Horseman of John. Yoichi and Kimizuki also irritated Mitsuba at times, but nowhere near as much as Yuu and Mika.

As she thought of this, the Hiragi girl could not help but smile. She and Mitsuba had been rivals for Yuichiro's affections but Shinoa noticed that ever since Mikaela came into the picture, the Sangu girl started paying more attention to him and less to Yuu himself even though she treated them just the same. As soon as it became apparent to her that Mitsuba had a thing for Mika, Shinoa teased her relentlessly about it but this time, she decided to go easy on the Sangu girl as she knew she wouldn't be able to clean the kitchen and prepare dinner for their other squad mates by herself by the time they got back without Mitsuba's help.

 **SSSSSS**

Mitsuba Sangu placed her arms behind her head as she laid in bed and stared up at the ceiling of her room with a sigh. What was wrong with her? Every time that blond vampire was nearby and uttered one tiny little bait, she would automatically take it. Why? Why couldn't she just ignore him and let the bastard choke on his own saliva when he got angry? What was it about Mikaela Hyakuya that always put her on the defensive and ready to get into a fight with him? In some ways, he was even worse than his brother, Yuichiro.

 _Ugghh! That bastard is so insufferable! I can't stand him!_ The Sangu girl thought in frustration.

 _Insufferable? Who are you kidding, Mitsu?_ Her subconscious whispered. _You think he's incredibly handsome and will do anything to get him to notice you!_

Mitsuba shook her head in refusal. "NO! That's not it at all…" she murmured out loud to herself. "It's just that I've never had anyone tell me I was stupid before. Absent-minded, yes. But stupid?"

 _He didn't necessarily call you stupid, you know…_

"No, he called me a 'pea-brain', close enough."

 _You can deny it all you like but I know the truth: you're crazy about the boy!_

Mitsuba snorted. "Yeah, right! Crazy? About him?! About what's-his-name? I don't think so." She shook her head. "He's annoying, pigheaded, insensitive, and downright rude! Plus he's much too physical for me. And I barely know him!"

 _Barely know him? You've been living in this village and in the same house for almost four months with him! And on another note: all those are the reasons you like him…and the 'physical' stuff is just what you want the most._

"That's not true!" Mitsuba said aloud. "All that guy has is faults! He has no good qualities! He screamed at me the time I tried to keep him from taking Yuu on the battlefield. And that was the first time he actually spoke to me!"

 _Have you spoken to him before that?_

Mitsuba was silent as she stared up at the ceiling. "No…"

 _Then what in the world are you complaining about?_

"I don't know… I don't know anything…"

Mitsuba sighed as the conversation with herself ended. If the boy in question ever knew that she had such long extended conversations with herself he probably would never let her live it down. He'd probably call her crazy as well as a pea-brain.

The Sangu girl shook her head. She wasn't a pea-brain…though she sure had felt like one earlier. She felt her face flame up again at the stupid thing she had done earlier. She had actually bombed Mika with a bag of flour. She actually let him get to her that much. But she couldn't help it… He just… He just…drove her nuts!

Mitsuba was snapped out of her thoughts by a knock on her door.

"Mitsu? Are you in there?" It was Shinoa.

"Yes, come in!" she answered.

As soon as she gave her permission, the door opened and the Hiragi girl went in. Putting on her best smile, Shinoa tried her best to get Mitsuba out of her sour mood. As the Sangus were a branch of the Hiragi family, Mitsuba was also Shinoa's cousin as well as her friend so she always did her best to defend her when their other companions were upset with Mitsuba and her hot temper. As squad leader, Shinoa also felt it was her responsibility to be the peacemaker and keep squabbles between her squad members to a minimum whenever possible.

"Hey look, Mitsu, I know you're a bit upset with Mika but please try to be patient with him; he didn't mean what he said; he's a good guy, really."

Mitsuba sighed in frustration. "I know he's a good guy, Shinoa. It's just that he can be so difficult at times."

The Hiragi girl laughed. "Now who does he remind you of?" she teased. Mitsuba scowled.

"Don't even start, Shinoa…" she growled. "I'm not in the mood."

Trying to change the subject, Shinoa said "Look, I need your help. The others will be back soon and we need to have dinner ready for them. We can clean out the kitchen tomorrow if you're not up for it tonight."

"Fine, fine. I'll be right down. Where's Mika now?"

"He's probably with Yuu. I notice you haven't been paying as much attention to him as you used to lately."

"Is that so?" Mitsuba huffed. "Well, it's probably because Mikaela irritates me more."

"But you have to admit, he is very handsome, is he not?" Shinoa teased.

Mitsuba felt her face growing hot "Well, he is…" she agreed. "But so is Yuu. So are countless other guys in this world so what's your point?"

Shinoa rolled her eyes. Her friend and cousin was completely missing the point but this conversation was going to have to wait; there was work to be done

"Nevermind" the Hiragi girl said. "Just help me with the cooking for now, ok?"

"Tsk, fine" Mitsuba muttered and she finally got up and walked out of the room. Shinoa was grateful she didn't have to beg her cousin to help her finish the task they started in the kitchen. Hopefully, the Sangu girl won't be repeating the mistake that caused the little fire earlier; the last thing they needed was for her and Mikaela to get into another fight again. Before finally leaving the room herself to join Mitsuba in the kitchen, Shinoa paused in the doorway for a moment, her thoughts going back to her conversation with her cousin about the Hyakuya brothers before her own face grew hot.

 _Yuichiro…Mikaela… they're both handsome, Mitsu. We're in big trouble…_

 **A/N: Sorry for the wait! Though I love Yuu and Mika, I thought it would be interesting to see how well they may pair off with the girls as well ;)**


	9. Last Resort

**Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only.**

 **8: Last Resort**

"Get out! Get the fuck out of my head!" Yuichiro Hyakuya screamed as he struggled against the chains that bound his wrists to the wall. Blood and sweat ran down the sides of his face in rivulets, the blood flowing from where his horns bursted through his temples and down his back below where his wings tore through his shoulders. The young raven-haired man was kneeling on the ground, clad only in his dark pants and knee-high boots; since his transformations always resulted in bloodstains and holes in his shirts, he decided it best not to wear one whenever he felt his demon taking over. Over the last few months, Yuu had been able to predict more accurately when he was about to transform so Mika and the others can get him to the shed and have him restrained. It often saved the young vampire the trouble of having to fight and restrain his brother out in the open as the result of changing suddenly as well as Shinoa and Mitsuba from having to use their demon talismans which could potentially draw the attention of any vampires who happened to be nearby.

Whenever his inner demon took over, Mika noticed that Yuu became like a completely different person. He knew his brother well enough to know when it was the demon speaking to him, constantly trying to tempt him into releasing it by offering him it's, or more accurately, Yuu's blood since they both inhabit the same body but Mika would always refuse, not only because releasing the demon would endanger the lives of Shinoa's squad as well as that of the the villagers', but also because he did not think it right to take Yuu's blood without his knowledge or consent, no matter how hungry he was. Mika was grateful to have Shinoa and the others voluntarily giving him their blood so that starvation would not influence his ability to resist the demon's temptations.

As Yuu struggled harder against his restraints, the skin around his wrists became raw and started to bleed as well, making the blond vampire wince. But the young man's physical pain paled in comparison to the one inside his mind and it was pure torture to Mika just as much as to Yuu himself because he knew that there was nothing he could do but watch helplessly, hoping that it would be over soon and his brother will revert back to human form. It pained Mika to know that this was the one thing in the world that he and the rest of their friends could not protect Yuu from, that it was a battle only Yuu alone could fight and that Mika could only hope his brother's willpower will hold out until he changes back.

Fortunately, luck was on their side yet once again and Mika gave a sigh of relief as he saw Yuu's horns and wings slowly withdrew back into his body before he toppled over. With his vampiric speed, Mika quickly caught Yuu before he fell face first to the floor. Now that it was safe to do so, Mika finally called for Shinoa and Mitsuba to come in. As soon as they heard their names called, the Hiragi and Sangu girls entered the shed with Shinoa carrying a pitcher of water and cup and Mitsuba carrying a small basin and towel. "How is he?" Shinoa asked as soon as they were inside.

Mika turned around to face the girls as he allowed his hold on Yuu to loosen a bit. "He's all right for now" he answered. "But he'll be needing some rest as soon as we get him inside."

"I think we should wait a few more minutes before releasing him, just to be safe," Mitsuba suggested.

"I agree" Shinoa said. "Hey, Mitsu, why don't you get back to the house and get started with dinner while Mika and I take care of Yuu. I'll be with you in the kitchen as soon as I'm done here."

Mitsuba looked as though she hesitated to leave but her cousin simply gave her best smile as if trying to assure her that everything will be alright. "Its ok, Mitsu. We just need to get Yuu cleaned up and rested before he can come to dinner. Right now, I need you to get started in the kitchen so we'll have food ready by the time the others get back."

Upon hearing the logic in Shinoa's words, Mitsuba sighed and gave in. "I understand, I'll leave everything to you and Mika. See you later, Shinoa. You too, Mika." After putting the basin down on the ground next to Yuu and handing the towel to her cousin, Mitsuba left. As soon as the Sangu girl was gone, Shinoa turned to the young vampire and asked: "Mikaela, how is Yuichiro?"

Mika blinked in confusion at the Hiragi girl's question before answering "I believe I already told you he's all right for now."

"Is he really?" Shinoa pressed. "You don't sound convinced. I didn't want to say this in front of Mitsuba but I get the feeling that there is something you are not telling me and I must insist we not keep secrets from each other if we're going to protect Yuu from the demon army and vampire progenitors."

Mika hesitated for a moment. Shinoa was right, there was something he could sense about his brother that the others could not but refrained from telling anyone because he did not want them to worry. However, he also knew he could hide it no longer with the way Shinoa was questioning him. The Hiragi girl was not one to give up easily when she wanted something, especially answers.

"Yuu... his demon is growing stronger. I can feel it. I'm glad he can somewhat predict when he's going to transform because its becoming more and more difficult for me to restrain him. At the rate his powers are growing, it won't be long before he becomes strong enough to overpower me."

Shinoa was silent as she slowly took this in. As much as she hated to admit it, the Hiragi girl was completely at a loss as to what to do. "Is there no way to stop Yuu's demon progression other than the obvious?" Although she refrained from saying it, Mika knew exactly what Shinoa was talking about and shook his head.

"We can't take him back to the JIDA, Shinoa, you know that."

"I know but what other choice do we have? Is there any other way to help Yuu? Any way at all that you know of? The look on your face tells me you do."

Now it was Mika's turn to be silent. Damn the Hiragi girl, she was much more perceptive than her air-headed appearance would suggest. But then again, she didn't become a JIDA squad leader for nothing.

After a few more moments of silence, the young vampire sighed and said "You're right. I do. But I really doubt its any better than just handing Yuu over to the JIDA and Hiragis."

Shinoa raised a brow in interest. "Are you sure? Tell me, please..."

"I...I could turn Yuu..."

"You mean...?"

"Yes... as a vampire, Yuu would have the mental strength to keep the demon from taking over his mind and body. Ferid once told me that there has never been a namanari who has managed to win over on their demonic side."

"Well, there's a first time for everything" Shinoa snorted. Ironically, those were Guren Ichinose's own words and the Hiragi girl never thought she'd see the day she would actually quote her ex-superior whom she despised for causing the death of her sister and being partly responsible for making Yuu the monster he was now.

To that, Mika actually chuckled. "True...and believe me, I want to believe in Yuu-chan more than anything. I know he's doing his best but we still have to accept the possibility that it may not be enough. Still, I want to believe that there is another way to help him besides the ones we know."

"But what if we can't find it?" Shinoa persisted. "Yuu's demon is getting stronger with each passing day and you yourself say he'll overpower you any day now; why take such a risk when you can help him right this moment?"

"You don't understand, Shinoa; turning a human is not without risk!"

Now it was Shinoa's turn to blink in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Krul had told me once that there is a reason for the law allowing only nobles to turn humans. Yes, vampires do not like increasing their numbers but its also because of the fact that not every human has been successfully turned. Have you ever wondered why nearly all vampires look like children, teenagers, or young adults? Why its so rare to see a vampire who looks older than a human of thirty? Because the older the human is upon being turned, the more painful the transformation process is. Health and endurance also affect their chances and many older, sickly, or fragile humans have died of pain before they could be successfully turned. I was only twelve when Krul changed me and it was the most painful experience of my life. For Yuu-chan, it would be even more so because he's now almost seventeen. Yes, I know he is still young, strong, and healthy but he's also no longer an ordinary human being and there's no telling how a transformation attempt will affect him. What if he doesn't become a vampire, but something else entirely? Something far worse? Are you willing to risk that, Shinoa?"

The Hiragi girl was silent a moment before lowering head in defeat. "You're right, Mika. I didn't think. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"Its ok, Shinoa, I understand. You just want to help Yuu-chan as I do. But no matter what, I still can't change my brother without his consent so long as he is able to give it."

"So if he agreed, would you?"

"As much as it would pain me, yes. I never wanted this but if its truly the only way to save him, I'll do it because surrendering him to the JIDA is simply not an option."

"I understand... please talk this over with Yuichiro as soon as you get the chance, Mikaela. See what he says. No matter what you two decide, I will support you completely."

"Thank you..."

Before Shinoa could say anything else, she and Mika heard a low groan and saw Yuu beginning to stir in Mika's hold. The demon appeared to have gone silent now and their dear friend was back again.

"Mika? Shinoa? Is that you?"

Mika smiled as he held Yuu close, stroking his soft black hair which was damp with sweat. "Yes, we're here, Yuu-chan. Its good to have you back...again."

"How are you feeling?" Shinoa asked. "Are you hungry? Do you need some water?"

Yuu nodded tiredly. "Yes and yes" he answered.

Taking that as her cue, Shinoa quickly poured her friend a cup of water and raised it to his lips so he could drink since he could not do so himself with his wrists still chained. "I can give you water now but you'll still have to wait another hour or so for dinner. Is that ok?"

Yuu nodded as Shinoa took the cup from his lips and set it on the ground next to the water pitcher. "Sure. I need time to shower and get dressed anyway."

The Hiragi girl smiled and tried not to blush as her gaze wandered down his bare chest as she silently admired the toned muscles of arms and torso. Turning to Mika, she asked "Could you give me a moment alone with Yuu? I need to wipe his face and remove his shackles."

Mika raised an eyebrow at Shinoa's request but she offered him her sweetest smile before saying "Please...I also need to ask him something. It won't be long."

The young vampire hesitated for a moment longer before turning to his brother. Yuu nodded. "It's ok, Mika, I'll be just fine."

Upon hearing Yuu's words of reassurance and seeing the pleading look on the Hiragi girl's face, he sighed and gave in. "Very well. Just be careful. I'll be right outside if you need anything." The double-meaning in Mika's words were not lost on Shinoa. She had no doubt he was concerned for her safety but also knew he hadn't been able to bring himself to trust her completely with Yuu, at least not just yet.

"I'll be careful, I promise. If I see any sign of trouble, I'll call you immediately."

Mika nodded before standing up and stepping outside, closing the door of the shed behind him.

As soon as the vampire was gone, Shinoa took the towel beside the basin, wetted it, and squeezed out the excess water before turning to Yuu and started wiping his brow.

"How do you feel?" she asked as she did her best to gently clean the blood from the sides of his face as well as sweat.

"I've had better days" he answered. "I hope I wasn't too much trouble for you and Mika."

"Don't worry about it. What's important is for you to conquer your demon and we'll help you in any way we can."

Upon hearing that, Yuu raised his green eyes to meet Shinoa's burgundy ones. "Is that all?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that wasn't all you wanted to say, was it? What is it you wanted to tell me that Mika couldn't hear?"

The Hiragi girl was silent for a moment. Yuu was right and she should have known he suspected something as soon as she asked his vampire brother to leave.

"You're right" she confessed. "There's been something on my mind lately, something... unsettling."

"And that is?"

"The truth is, I'm worried. Your transformations are becoming more frequent and its taking longer for you to come back to us. I'm afraid, I don't want to lose you; please tell me if there is anything more I can do to help" Shinoa pleaded. It looked to Yuu that she was fighting back tears and he found his heart breaking at the sight of her lovely face pained with grief and worry for him of all people. He wanted to offer her words of reassurance but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her.

"There is nothing you or anyone else could do" he answered. "This is a battle only _I_ can fight."

As if expecting his answer, the Hiragi girl squeezed her eyes shut and looked away for a brief moment before returning her gaze to Yuu's. She wanted to tell him of Mika's idea but knew it wasn't her place to do so. That was something only the vampire himself could discuss with him. "I understand. But it isn't just that... I also don't know how much longer we can stay here, even if the demon and vampire armies don't come after us. Its also the villagers; they're all afraid of Mikaela... and they're afraid of you..."

Touched by her concern, Yuu leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Shinoa's briefly before whispering in her ear. "I'm afraid of myself..." His confession started her. It was the first time Shinoa ever heard Yuichiro Hyakuya confess to being afraid of anything. Even when they were facing the most powerful vampire nobles, the young ravenette had refused to even let fear show on his face, let alone admit it like he was now. Before she could say any else, Shinoa found Yuu's lips on hers. It was just a brief touch but it made her heart leap. She found herself blushing again when he smiled at her, even if tiredly.

"Thank you, Shinoa...for caring...and for always being there for me. I'll always be grateful to you and the others. But I'm also very tired and need to lay down. Can you please release me?"

"Y-yes, of course!" she answered, feeling ridiculous that she had completely forgotten all about Yuu's shackles and the fact that he wasn't exactly in the most comfortable position. After undoing his restraints, Shinoa helped Yuu to his feet and put one of his arms over her shoulders as she led him out of the shed. As expected, Mika was waiting right outside and eager to take over as soon as he saw them. Knowing how exhausted Yuu must be, Shinoa gave him over to Mika without protest and watched as he hoisted his brother in his arms to carry him back inside the house but not before expressing his gratitude to her.

"Thank you, Shinoa, I'll take it from here. Please go help Mitsuba with dinner."

"Yes, of course," she said. "See you at dinner." After Mika left, Shinoa pointed her face to the sky and closed her eyes for a brief moment as she thought about what just happened in the shed. Yuu's confession and kiss took her completely by surprise but she didn't regret it in the slightest. No matter what happened, Shinoa vowed to stay by his side through thick and thin.

Always.

 **A/N: I hope my readers didn't find the ending to this snippet too corny; I wasn't sure how else to end it. But thanks for reading anyway and let me know what you think :)**


	10. Sinful Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only.**

 **9: Sinful Love**

"Anytime you're ready, Mika…"

Mikaela Hyakuya was snapped out of his brief trance when he heard his Yuichiro's voice calling to him from a few yards away. The two brothers were standing across from each other on the beach not far from the village where they were staying. It was late night and the villagers as well as the rest of Shinoa's squad had already retired to their homes for the evening but Yuu and Mika were not yet ready for sleep so they told their friends they would stay up awhile longer to spar on the beach to sharpen their sword-fighting skills so that they would be ready when their enemies finally came for them which could be any day now. The moon was full tonight and shone brilliantly on the horizon with the countless stars twinkling in the sky, providing enough light for the brothers' sparring match. The sound of waves crashing on the shore also set the mood and Mika grinned as he charged forward, his blade meeting Yuu's with enough force to knock over an ordinary man but the ravanette, with his enhanced demonic strength, held his ground as he returned the vampire's smirk before sending a blow of his own, his green eyes full of fire. So it was as Shinoa said and Mika suspected: Yuichiro was indeed an excellent swordsman. Even the vampires he had fought with in the past as well as Guren's own squad mates admitted as such. And as much as Mika despised his brother's ex-guardian, he, too had to admit that Guren had taught Yuu well in swordsmanship, so much that Mika could fight him without holding back.

Even with his vampiric strength, the blond vampire found himself staggering under the amount of sheer, raw power behind Yuu's attacks, something that would have been impossible for an ordinary human but he knew the young ravenette was anything but; the demon and seraph within his body gave Yuu a strength that could potentially rival even the most powerful vampire progenitors at the rate they were progressing. Mika knew this was a double-edged sword. If Yuu became stronger, his power could end the human-vampire war for good or it could destroy the world depending on whether or not he could win control of his mind and body from the monster inside him. The future was still uncertain but Mikaela refused to give up hope and he was determined to do anything and everything he could to help his brother. And although Yuu had raw power, his greatest weakness was letting his emotions control his attacks instead of careful strategic thinking. All Mika had to do was stay on the defensive and wait for an opening to present itself as his brother went all out, relentless in his attacks, striking over and over again non-stop. He knew Yuu wouldn't be able to keep this up forever and found his chance when his brother brought his blade in a wide-arch as he grew frustrated with being unable to break through Mika's defenses. Yuu's overpowered strike left him wide open enough for Mika to finally make his move and counter with a strike of his own, his blade aimed at the base of his brother's sword and the next thing they knew, Asuramaru goes flying from Yuu's hand as he falls flat on his back and buries itself half-way to the hilt in the sand several yards away. Now that the ravenette was finally unarmed, Mika took a quick breath as he brought the tip of his blade to rest at the base of the other boy's chin.

"You did well, Yuu-chan; but you still have a way to go." He said triumphantly but not without a good-natured smile.

Now it was Yuu's turn to grin. "Well, thanks a lot but in case you haven't noticed, I'm not a child anymore so you can drop the 'chan'. It's just Yuu now." Mika smiled but said nothing as he offered his hand to help his brother up. Yuu took it without hesitation as he allowed Mika to help him stand. As soon as the ravenette was back on his feet, he noticed Mika stagger for a brief moment before quickly regaining his footing.

"Hey, Mika, are you all right?" Yuu asked. The blond placed a hand on his chest and took a breath before answering.

"Yes, Yuu-chan, I'm fine. It's nothing." Although Mika tried to sound confident, his brother wasn't so easily fooled.

"Please don't lie to me, Mika, you're hungry, aren't you? Come on, let's get inside and have you fed. We need to do it while the others are still asleep."

Mika wanted to argue but he knew Yuu was right. His brother could be just as stubborn as he was when concerned with the well-being of those he cared about. After watching Yuu pick up Asuramaru and slide it back inside its sheath, the pair made their way back to the house.

Knowing the others were most likely asleep, Yuu and Mika made sure to open the front door and enter the house as quietly as they could, removing their shoes at the front to prevent loud footsteps that might awaken their friends. This time, Mika insisted on using Yuu's room instead of his own to save him the trouble of having to carry the other boy to his room in case he was too drained and tired to get there himself after he finished feeding Mika. The last thing they needed was for Yuu to stumble, fall, or pass out in the middle of the hallway which would wake the others for sure.

As soon as they were inside, Yuichiro closed and locked the door behind them before setting down his sheathed sword on the dresser with Mikaela following suit. After that, Yuu removed his shirt as usual. Though he had managed to avoid getting bloodstains on his shirts that would give away the fact that he was donating more blood to his vampire brother than Shinoa would have liked, Yuu wasn't sure how much longer he could hide it because the others had notice him stumbling and losing his footing every now and then because of anemia even though he insisted that they were the result of his clumsiness. Mika himself disliked the fact that they had to lie to their other friends whenever they were questioned but Yuu assured him that it was all right as long as no harm was done; he believed that everyone was entitled to their secrets, after all.

"Would you like me to lay down or sit up tonight, Mika?" the raven-haired boy asked.

Mika thought about it for a moment before answering "Lay down. But let me hold you up this time."

"I don't understand."

Knowing that it would be easier for him to demonstrate rather than explain, Mika took Yuu's hand and led him to the bed. Sitting down, the blond vampire made a beckoning gesture. "Here, sit on my lap" he instructed.

Curious but not wanting to argue, Yuu obeyed and turned his body so that he could sit on Mika's lap like a child. He felt silly doing so but knew his brother would never ask him to do anything unless he had a good reason.

"Just relax, I've got you" Mika said gently as he put one arm around Yuu's shoulders and the other on the small of his back to support him. It wasn't long before the ravenette caught onto Mika's plan and tilted his head back without hesitation, baring his throat and giving Mika full access to it, something that no sane human would do for a vampire they didn't trust. So far, Mika had fed only from the sides of Yuu's neck and wrists but this is the first time the blond vampire suggested biting him in the base of his throat. He was curious as to why but decided not to question Mika and simply indulge his brother for tonight as proof of his absolute trust in him. And to be honest, he did enjoy having Mika hold him like this, especially since it was just the two of them in the room.

Closing his eyes, Yuichiro relaxed and breathed softly as Mika opened his mouth, bared his fangs, and bit into his throat, eliciting a gasp from the ravenette who was unable to suppress the moans from escaping his lips this time due to the sheer amount of pleasure running through his body as Mika fed. It felt even more pleasurable than having Mika feed from his wrist or neck and before he knew it, Yuu found himself wrapping an arm around Mika's waist while the other slid up his back to clutch at the vampire's blond hair tightly, entwining his fingers in the silky golden strands. If he could, Mika would have smiled wickedly knowing that Yuu was enjoying this just as much as he was. Krul had once told him that the blood of awakened seraphs, especially ones who were still virgins, was the most delicious a vampire could ever taste and she did not lie. Knowing this, Mika had no doubt there wasn't a vampire on earth who wouldn't want a taste of Yuichiro's blood but he would never let any of them have it for Yuu's blood was his and his alone to enjoy.

After he had his fill, Mikaela withdrew his fangs from his brother's throat and took a moment to look at the expression on his face; Yuichiro looked almost disappointed, like he felt it had ended too soon but knew it had to for he would have fainted if Mika had fed any longer. He no longer had to give his brother the usual signal for Mika had fed from him often enough to know when he must stop. Looking up, Yuu saw the blond's beautiful eyes swimming in desire and found himself undeniably aroused at the sight of his own blood dripping down Mika's mouth and chin. Most people would think him crazy for feeling this way but he couldn't help it; it wasn't just because Yuu found voluntary blood donating pleasurable, it was also because of _who_ he was allowing to feed off of him as well. Both Yuichiro and Mikaela had known from a young age that they were bi-sexual but hid it to avoid attracting ridicule and scorn. In addition to their feelings for each other, they also had a mutual crush on their orphanage sister, Akane, as well. And while Yuichiro loved both Shinoa and Mitsuba, he couldn't deny that he was attracted to Mikaela just as much and knew his brother felt the same.

"How do you like it, Yuu-chan? Does it feel nice?" Mika teased as he slowly licked the blood from his lips in front of the other boy before licking the puncture wounds on his throat as well, knowing it would excite him even more.

Yuichiro blushed, too embarrassed to answer but they both knew he loved it. Instead, the ravenette tried changing the subject as he reached up and gently touched Mikaela's face, just like he did the first time his brother fed from him in Nagoya. "Mika… why do you hide your real eyes? Do you hate them that much?" he asked curiously. The blond frowned slightly. He knew Yuu was talking about the blue contacts he now wore to mask his new ruby-red eyes. Just because Mika was a complete vampire now didn't mean he wanted to see anything that reminded him of it and Yuu wasn't the only one who noticed that Mika went out of his way to find contacts as close to his original eye color as he could while constantly cutting and filing his vampire talons to make them resemble human fingernails.

"I… I don't hate them… I just want you to see me the way you always have before. I don't want you to think any differently of me just because I'm a complete vampire now…"

Yuu smiled as he gently brushed Mika's lips with this thumb. "Mika, I will never see you any differently; if you want to wear contacts because it makes you feel better, I understand but know that your eyes will always be beautiful to me no matter what their color, ok?"

It was now Mika's turn to smile as he leaned forward slightly and whispered into his Yuu's ear: "You know how I feel about you, right?"

"How we both feel… yes…"

That was about as much consent as Mika needed before he pressed his lips to Yuu's, savoring the sweet moment before adding a bit more pressure and sliding his tongue inside to sweep the hot caravan of the other boy's mouth. Yuu gasped at the sudden intrusion but soon relaxed and gave himself up to Mika's care, opening his mouth and allowing the blond more access. Despite being a soldier who had seen and survived countless horrors on the battlefield, Yuichiro was still purely innocent when it came to matters of sensuality and truth be told, Mikaela wouldn't have it any other way. Innocent Yuu may be but he still knew that this wasn't the way brothers were supposed to kiss for what Mika gave him was not a cutesie peck-on-the-cheek type kiss, but a full on, passionate lovers' kiss. Still, he couldn't bring himself to care as Mika deepened the kiss and sucked on his bottom lip. Yuu couldn't resist the moan that erupted from his mouth. His eyes fell shut again and his breathing increased, the continuous sliding of their tongues filling him with pleasure. The ravenette allowed himself to be pushed back until Mika was draped all over him, hands on either side of his head as he became more ardent and rough with his kisses. They both knew what they were doing was taboo and forbidden. Some may even call it incestuous even though Yuu and Mika were not related by blood; they simply called themselves brothers because they grew up in the same orphanage.

Yuichiro knew he should be ashamed to have such sinful feelings and desires for his best friend and adopted brother even though he guilt for them. Neither did Mikaela. And why should they? Nothing done out of love could be wrong. Right?

Without thinking, Yuu found his hands wandering under Mika's shirt, his fingers brushing the toned muscles of the blonde's abdomen and chest, making him groan with pleasure. He was tempted to take it further before Mika finally stopped him by closing a hand around his wrists.

"Mika? What's wrong?" he asked.

"Yuu-chan, I think we should stop for now."

"But why?"

"Because if we keep going, I don't think I'll be able to hold back. I don't want to end up hurting you…"

"Is that truly the only reason?"

Mika hesitated to answer. It was no secret that love between a human and a vampire was a forbidden thing but it wasn't like Mika could go back to the vampires anyway now that he had betrayed them for Yuu and would not hesitate to do so again but that was not the only reason. It was that love was not something he was used to experiencing since he had been turned.

In the four years he and Yuu had spent apart, Mika had only the company of other vampires and the only one who had ever shown him any real kindness or genuinely cared for his well-being was ironically, Krul Tepes herself, his vampire mother. She may have changed him against his will but Mika still had to admit that she had done him a favor as well because if he had died by Ferid's hands that fateful day, he would never have been able to reunite with Yuu. As for Ferid, Mika supposed that in his own twisted way, his ex- benefactor did love him for Ferid had tolerated Mika's rudeness and constant threats to kill him despite knowing that he was stronger and cold easily overpower him. Even so, having Krul (and Ferid's) favor did not make his life in Sanguinem any easier for the other vampires, especially Lacus and Rene, hated Mika with bitter jealousy. They would always call him the 'Queen's pet' or at best, her adopted son. They would never honor Mikaela by calling him 'Prince'. But the blond didn't care; the only thing that mattered to him was finding and protecting his dear friend and even though he loved Yuichiro with all his heart, he was so insecure that he didn't dare to think that he object of his desire would actually love him back; Mikaela felt that his love was sinful and impure, not fitting for the innocent boy in his arms.

"Yuu-chan, I…"

"What are you truly afraid of? I love you, Mika, no matter what you've become." There, he said it. Now that the truth was out in the open, Mikaela could not deny it any longer. When Mika didn't answer right away, Yuu looked at him curiously and maybe a bit sadly too.

"Could it be that you really don't want me?"

The blond shook his head fiercely. "No! I do, Yuu-chan but… I'm afraid… I want things to be like this always but it will be impossible because I know that you and the others will eventually grow up and leave me behind."

Upon hearing this Yuichiro's eyebrows rose as if in understanding. "Mika… I really believe the way to turn you back exists somewhere and I did promise I would help you find it, did I?"

"I know…and I believe it too! But how long will it take us to find it? What if we can't? I can't bear to see you die of old age while I'm stuck like this forever! I don't want to be left alone again; you're all that I have to live for now!" With the vampire's confession came tears as he struggled to keep his voice down.

Yuu's mouth opened before it snapped shut. He inhaled sharply through his nose and held his breath.

"Mika, I...-" Yuichirou hadn't realized Mikaela's feelings for him ran _that_ deeply. So this was what the vampire was truly afraid of. After taking a moment to think it over, Yuu gently cupped both sides of his love's face, gently brushing away the vampire's tears with his thumb.

"Mika… I had no idea you felt this way about me. I… I understand. I've been trying not to think about it but you made me realize that we can't avoid this issue forever. And you're right; we have no idea how long it could take to find a cure for you so there is only one other option…

"And that is?" Mika had a feeling he already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from Yuu's own mouth.

Pulling Mika down to kiss him again, Yuu whispered "Mika… I feel the same way… so I want you to share your eternity… with me…"

Though he did not say so directly, there was no mistaking the hidden implication in his words and Mika found himself staring at the other boy in astonishment.

"Yuu-chan… do you have even the vaguest conception under God what you ask? Do you realize the thing you will become? The thing you hate most in this world?"

The ravenette nodded. "I do… and I mean it, Mika. I know you are too selfless to admit it, but you want me to join you so you won't have to be alone. I want to be with you until a cure is found and even after we are cured, I'll still stay with you and we can grow old and die together. If no cure is found, so be it, we'll stay together eternally."

Mika was silent for a moment as he contemplated Yuu's words. The other boy may be innocent and even a bit naive at times, but he wasn't stupid and would never ask for something like this so lightly. Yuichiro knew that if he became a vampire himself, he could stay with Mikaela for as long as it took to make him human again. But in exchange, he would be forced to leave Shinoa and the others behind in the never-ending flow of time and he knew it, accepted it, for his worst fear was not of dying itself, but leaving Mikaela to face eternity alone without fulfilling the promise he had made to make him human again. And he was right, Mika wanted it too, even if he loathes to admit it.

"You won't be able to eat and drink anymore…" Mika began. "You'll never again be able to enjoy sunlight. Or grow and change over time. Or father children and have a family of your own. You'll always be thirsty for blood and worst of all, you'll have to leave your other friends behind. Are willing to accept this, Yuu-chan? Because you may have to live with your decision for all eternity."

"I know… and I am. All of this, I will bear and more if necessary, for your sake, Mikaela." Contrary to what Mika thought, Yuu knew exactly what he was asking for and meant it. Even though the thought of outliving his other friends was painful to Yuu, he was still willing because he knew that by compelling Mika to drink his blood the first time, he had condemned his brother and best friend to an ageless, eternal existence, forever thirsting for blood, so it was only fair, only just that he shared the same fate. And even though Mika himself never wanted this for Yuu, he did promise Shinoa he would talk it over with him because they also had Yuu's demon to worry about too, another reason why it would be logical to turn him. Even so, Mika was in no rush to do it. He still wanted to give it a little more time, just to make sure Yuu was absolutely certain and would not regret his decision later for there was currently no known way to make a vampire human again.

Mika smiled as he bent over to kiss Yuu's forehead. "I love you, Yuu-chan… I'll do anything for you, anything to make you happy. But you have to be sure that this is what you _really_ want because once it's done, I cannot take it back. Please take a little more time to think about it, ok?"

Yuichiro looked a little disappointed with Mikaela's answer but he had to agree. The decision to become a vampire is not one to be taken lightly and to his knowledge, no human had ever allowed themselves to be turned by choice. Nodding his head, he said "I understand, Mika. I will."

Mika smiled, relieved that Yuu wasn't going to push the issue any further tonight and found himself ironically thanking God that his brother wasn't going to argue with him on this like he did everything else.

"Good" he said. "I must go now; sleep well, Yuu-chan."

"Can I have one more kiss, please Mika?"

The blond chuckled. He couldn't help thinking how cute Yuu sounded when he asked that. At least that was the one thing he could indulge his love in tonight.

"Of course, Yuu-chan, anything for you…"

 **A/N: Ok, I'm going to end this here. Although I a bigger fan of straight couples, I've decided to indulge yaoi fans with this snippit. This is the first time I ever wrote a story for a same-sex couple so please go easy on me** **On a note, it's never really been made clear in the OnS manga/anime if Yuu and Mika are straight or not but I notice that Mika does appear to obsess over Yuu like a lover so I'm guessing his feelings for him might lean in that direction.**


	11. The Sister Left Behind

**Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End** ). **I write this for your enjoyment only.**

 **10: The Sister Left Behind**

"Somebody help!"

Mika and Yuu had been gathering firewood in the forest when they heard a female voice ring out in terror from somewhere nearby. Without thinking, the boys unsheathed their swords and rushed towards the direction of the voice where they found a young girl surrounded by a small pack of wolves. In her fright, she had dropped the bundle of flowers she was gathering. Having faced much stronger monsters before, it was no problem for the Hyakuya brothers to chase away the animals that would have made a quick dinner of the child they were surrounding. After they made sure she was safe, Yuu helped the young girl, who couldn't have been older then twelve or so, to her feet.

"Are you all right?" he asked gently.

She nodded as she took a moment to regain her composure. "Yes, thank you both so much for saving me; I would have been dead if you didn't come! Who are you guys?"

"My name is Yuichiro and he's Mikaela. We've been living near the village for months but you probably haven't see us before because we're staying at that abandoned house just down the road and don't go into town often."

"I hope you don't mind my asking, but what are you doing out here by yourself?" Mika asked curiously as he sheethed his sword.

The girl blushed. "I came out here to get these..." she gestured to the flowers at her feet before kneeling down to pick them up. Upon closer inspection, the vampire recognized them as black dahlias, rare and beautiful dark purple flowers normally found at high-end flower shops. He remembered seeing them often at Krul's palace in Sanguinem as well as Ferid's mansion as a child.

Smiling, Yuichiro, who had never seen such flowers before, also knelt down to help the girl pick them up."They're beautiful" he breathed. "I've never seen their like before. But still, they weren't worth risking your life for."

Feeling somewhat ashamed for troubling the two young men who had saved her, the girl apologized. "I know...and I'm very sorry to trouble you both but these flowers aren't for me. They were my sister's favorite and I've come to gather them so I can put on her grave. I know they are available for sale but are so expensive in stores that I can't really afford to buy them..."

Mika's eyebrows rose. "Sister?"

The girl nodded. "Yes. I had a sister six years older than me. She was a lieutenant in the JIDA who fell in battle just a few months ago. They couldn't tell me exactly what happened to her but her body was returned to our family for burial. Her grave is in the village cemetery and I was going to pay her a visit before going home to my parents."

"Really?" Yuu exclaimed. "I was a member of the JIDA too though I'm not anymore since I left months ago."

Upon hearing that, the girl's eyes lit up. "You were? Then please tell me, have you ever met a lieutenant by the name of Aiko Aihara? She was my sister!"

As soon as Mika heard that, he felt his stomach drop. He thought the young girl looked familiar but couldn't put a finger on where he might have seen her before or who she reminded him of and realized just now how much she resembled her older sister. The blonde vampire frowned as he remembered his tragic encounter with the late JIDA lieutenant. Before leaving her corpse behind for the JIDA to claim along with the rest of her fallen soldiers, Mika took a quick glance at her dog tag so that he would always remember the name of the woman who told him exactly where to find Yuichiro for he would have never been able to find his brother without her help.

At the girl's question, Yuu shook his head. "Unfortunately, I have never met your sister. The JIDA is a really big army with a lot of members. What's your name, little miss?"

"Aya. Aya Aihara."

"I see... well, I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about your sister's time in the JIDA but how about I make it up to you by helping you with these flowers and walking you home?"

Aya was thrilled at the offer. "You'd do that for me? Oh, thank you so much! But before that, can you come with me to visit her grave?"

"Sure" Yuu said. "Just promise me one thing: that you'll never come out here alone again, ok? Its much too dangerous and there might not be anybody around to help you next time."

Aya nodded in agreement. "I understand. I promise."

Yuichiro smiled. "Good." Turning to Mikaela, he said: "Hey, Mika, why don't you take the wood and head on back to the house? I'll meet you there after I take Aya home, ok?"

Mika shook his head. "No, Yuu, please let me take care of Aya." Stepping closer, the blond leaned forward and whispered into his brother's ear "Please, Yuu-chan, its far too risky for you to be alone for too long at any given place; you know what I mean, don't you?"

Yuu frowned. Although he hated to be reminded of his demon problem, he knew that Mika was right. It was much safer for everyone if he stayed under the watchful eyes of his friends in Shinoa's Squad. Even without Mika, they could still handle him at the first sign of trouble. And besides, the ravenette might end up hurting Aya if he transformed while alone with her which is a real possibility he didn't want to risk.

"Ok" he agreed. Turning to Aya, he smiled and said "I must get back to my other friends. They really need this wood for the fireplace or our house might be too cold. But Mika will take care of you, ok? You can trust him."

At Yuu's suggestion, Aya found herself looking at Mika curiously which made the blond a little nervous and he wondered if she could tell he was a vampire. With his colored contacts, concealed ears and the fact that he had just filed his talons this morning, Mika was certain he looked like any other ordinary human being. When she finally smiled and said "Ok!, I'll go with Mika!", the vampire breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

After the brothers had parted ways with Yuu taking the firewood back to the house and Mika escorting Aya back to the village, the girl asked Mika "Where you a member of he JIDA too?"

Mika was startled at the question but answered "No, only Yuu-chan is. I'm just a civilian, like you."

"Really? Is your sword just for show then?"

"Not at all; sword-fighting is just a hobby of mine but I've never actually seen battle. Anyway, where is the village cemetery?" Mika asked, trying to change the subject and hoping Aya wouldn't pry into his background any further because it wouldn't be good for either of them if she found out he used to be a soldier of the vampire army. Fortunately for him, the girl made no further inquiries as she took Mika's hand and led him to a simple but well-kept cemetery located in the back of the village until they arrived at the newest grave in the yard, only a few months old. Letting go of Mika's hand, Aya knelt and placed the black dahlia flowers she had nearly gotten herself killed finding on top of the grave. Mika remained silent as he watch the girl recite a prayer for her sister's soul before he lifted his gaze and looked upon the simple words carved into the stone.

 _In Loving Memory and Honor_

 _Aiko Aihara_

 _2002-2020_

 _Beloved Daughter, Sister, Friend_

Seeing those words erased any further doubts in Mikaela's mind that this was indeed the grave of the late demon army lieutenant who made his reunion with Yuichiro possible and that the young girl praying before it was her sister. So this village where he, Yuu, and the rest of Shinoa's squad had been living these past few months was Aihara's hometown. He should have known right away when he first saw Aya in the forest for she was the spitting image of her older sister, a child Aihara herself would never see grow up because she choose to die with her soldiers when she didn't have to. As Mika thought about Aihara, he gritted his teeth and despite himself, he grew angry. It was bad enough how little humans valued the lives of their fellow human beings as Kureto Hiragi had demonstrated when he had willingly sacrificed his own soldiers along with the enemy vampire soldiers to awaken the seraph within Mirai Kimizuki, but to think how little some of them valued their _own_ lives as well was beyond Mikaela's comprehension. He didn't want to kill Aihara and despite his best efforts to spare her life, the woman was stubborn and determined to force his hand. He couldn't understand why she was so eager to die knowing she had a younger sister as well her parents waiting for her at home. _It didn't have to be like that!_ Mika thought bitterly. _Why couldn't you do as I asked and play dead? You wouldn't have had to die! You said you wanted to because there was nothing left for you but do you consider your own family nothing?! How could you be so selfish?!_ Were it not for Aya's presence, Mika might have shouted his thoughts out loud and he was still tempted to but refrained from doing so to avoid revealing the heart-breaking truth that he was the one who took her sister's life, even if it was by Aihara's own wish.

After a few more moments, Aya stood up and brushed her knees before turning to Mika. Seeing her face up close made the blond vampire feel as if he were looking into the face of a ghost. The girl noticed the discomfort in Mika's expression and asked "What's wrong? You look like something is bothering you. Are you ok? I'm sorry for asking you to come; I wouldn't have if I knew graveyards bothered you. Its ok, my parents feel the same way; even though they loved Aiko dearly, they don't want to come here too often because they see her grave as a painful reminder of her loss."

Mika shook his head. "No, it's not that. I'm glad I was able to help you save those flowers and escort you here. You must love your sister very much to go through all that trouble to find her favorite flowers. But I'm sure that Aiko would not want you to endanger your life for them; she cares about you too much for that." As soon as the words left his mouth, Mikaela realized his mistake as Aya eyed him with suspicion.

"How could you possibly know that, Mika?"

For the first time in his life, the young vampire found himself totally at a loss for words. "I..." he began as he frantically searched his mind for a plausible answer but Aya did not give him a chance. Grabbing his hand, she looked straight into his eyes with excitement clear in her own.

"You know her, don't you?! Please, I beg of you, please tell me how my sister lived her final days! I have to know!"

Knowing that there was no way he could deny Aya an answer, Mika tried his best to give one that would satisfy yet not devastate her. "You're are only half-right, Aya. I do not know your sister well but I did run into her briefly a few months ago when she and her troops passed through Nagoya."

"Did you speak to her? What did you talk about?"

"Not much but she did say that she was weary of fighting and looked forward to the war's end so she could return home to her family. But if she didn't, she would want them to live on... and be happy."

Even though it was a total lie, Mikaela hoped his assumption of what Aihara would have wished for her loved ones held at least a seed of truth. He almost wanted to curse the late demon army lieutenant for putting him in such a difficult situation, not once, but twice with the second time being from beyond the grave.

"I see..." Aya said softly as she lowered her eyes. "Can you tell me how she died? Nobody knew what happened to her or her troops; they were already gone by the time the rest of the JIDA found their bodies."

Mika gritted his teeth as he forced the most hideous lie he ever had to tell past his lips. "I'm sorry, but I cannot for I have no idea. My encounter with your sister was very brief and I was not there when she passed."

Seeing how disappointed Aya looked with his answer, the young vampire tried to lift her spirits once more. "But believe me when I say she would have wanted you to go on with your life and be happy, as a good sister should."

To his relief, the girl seemed at least somewhat comforted by his words. "You're right", she said. "Aiko would have wanted that; I'm glad I met you and your friend. I wouldn't even be here to mourn her if it weren't for you two."

"I'm glad I met you too, Aya. I am truly sorry for your loss; I've had my share of losses too so I understand more than you will ever know."

Aya smiled. "I'm happy to hear that. If it's not too much to ask, will you please escort me home, Mika?"

Upon hearing that, Mika also had to smile. "Of course. I would be happy and honored to" he answered as he offered Aya his arm in a gentlemanly fashion.

And he did. Even though it pained him to be reminded of the life he was forced to take, Mikaela was glad he was able to do at least this much for the tragic young woman he would always be grateful to and never allow himself to forget.

 **A/N: Ok, I'm going to end this snippet here; I was at work so I've decided to give it a shot. Aiko strikes me as a very tragic character and I think it would be good to have some backstory on her. Her death scene almost makes me want to hate Mika even though it was her own wish to die with her soldiers. However, our handsome blonde is not without a heart so this is how I think he would act towards any loved ones of hers he may run across.**


	12. Where Loyalties Lie

**Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only.**

 **11: Where Loyalties Lie**

Yuichiro took a deep breath and sighed contently as he enjoyed the cool sea breeze blowing in his face. The raven-haired youth was sitting on the beach clad in civilian clothing with his knees folded against his chest, arms wrapped around his legs. It was rare that he got chance to relax and enjoy the beauty of the world around him like this. And yes, despite the fact that most of humanity had been wiped out in the apocalypse and most of the civilized world had been reduced to a barren wasteland, there was beauty in the world still. Such as the scene of the red, orange, and pink-tinged skies as the sun had just begun to set before him. When her mind was still her own, Yuu remembered his mother saying that people often take such things for granted and not realize or appreciate the value of what they had or the beautiful things the world around them had to offer that would cost them nothing to enjoy until they lose it. Yuu had no idea what she meant back then but after everything he had experienced so far, he now understood her words perfectly. He may have had few precious and happy memories of his parents but he did treasure them despite what they tried to do to him in the end.

Yuichiro was roused out of his thoughts by the sound of soft footsteps behind him, muffled by the sand. Turning his head around slightly, the ravenette smiled when he saw the all-too-familiar face and figure of his vampire brother. "Mika..." he said simply as he patted the spot in the sand next to him, hoping the blond would join him in watching the sunset. As he watched, Mikaela reached into his pocket and took out a shiny object that appeared to be a coin.

"Penny for your thoughts, Yuu-chan?" he asked playfully and offered the other boy the coin to which he grinned and grabbed even though he knew it didn't matter since they and the rest of their friends all shared their meager money anyway. It was just Mika's way of getting his attention.

"Only if you sit down and enjoy the sunset with me" Yuu teased.

"Of course, Yuu-chan" the blond answered as he sat down next to his brother.

Ever since he became a vampire, Mikaela had developed an aversion to sunlight and could no longer go outside during the day without the protection of his UV guard. Were it not for that simple device strapped to his shoulder, he would quickly burn to ashes as soon as the sunlight hit his skin like all young common vampires. However, Mika did recall hearing Ferid say that older and stronger vampires such as nobles and progenitors, could survive unprotected sun exposure but that they would suffer excruciating pain until they healed the following evening. He remembered hearing some of the older vampires talking about the days before the UV guards were developed and how, in those days, all vampires could live only by night and were forced to spend the days inside with little else to do besides sleep and he could not imagine living for centuries unable to see the sun or enjoy its beauty like he was now. Even though Mika hated the fact that he could no longer walk about during the day without a UV guard, he was grateful for its protection so he was not confined to living only by night.

"So, what can I do for you, Mika?" Yuu asked when he noticed the blond did not say a thing after making himself comfortable on the sand next to him.

"I was just wondering what's on your mind, Yuu-chan. Its so rare to see you relaxed like this."

"I was just trying to enjoy what time we have left here before we have to move on. Its been almost four months since we came here yet I feel like it was only yesterday. A part of me wishes we can just stay here forever but I know we can't. There is still so much we need to do until the war ends."

The vampire frowned. Although he did not say so, Mika knew that Yuu still hadn't given up on his desire to rescue his ex-guardian or Kimizuki's sister, Mirai. He even expressed a desire to rescue Queen Krul as well, simply because she had kept Mika alive for all the years they were apart.

"Yuu-chan, I can understand why you would want to save Kimizuki's sister and Queen Krul, but Guren? Come on, you know its partly his fault you have a demon problem now. He even admitted he wouldn't have saved you if you weren't of any use to him."

"True. But still, I owe him my life. Even though I escaped Sanguinem, I would have never been able to survive alone in the world if he did not find me and I certainly wouldn't be here with you now. Could you not say the same of Queen Krul? You also want to save her, don't you?"

Mika was silent for a moment. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew Yuu was right. Neither of them would be here if they were not saved by their guardians. It was true that Krul had saved Mikaela for her own purposes but at least she had been honest with him about it from the start while Guren had been nothing but deceptive since the day he took Yuichiro under his wing. But even knowing this, the vampire held his tongue for he did not want to ruin the peaceful and serene moment by starting an argument with his brother. And to be honest, he did want to save Krul. As his dame, Mika felt a sense of loyalty and obligation to her even though he despised the creature she forced him to become. Though he rarely spoke of her, it was apparent to Yuu and the others that Mika worried for the well-being of guardian just as much as Yuu worried for his and for the same reason.

"You're right, Yuu-chan. I do want to save her. But right now, I have no idea where she could be just like you have no idea where Guren or Mirai could be. Its like we really have no choice but to wait for the humans or vampires to make their move before we can do anything." As he says this, a part of Mika felt bad for revealing this uncomfortable truth. If Yuu didn't know him better, he would think his brother was trying to discourage him which wasn't the case at all; he was just trying to be realistic. Mike knew Krul cared for him; after all, she had allowed herself to be captured so that he could escape after the battle of Nagoya because she knew that there was no way Ferid and Crowely could restrain her and chase after Mika at the same time and it made perfect sense for them to want him as well for it would have been much easier for the progenitors to get information out of Mika than the queen herself. As he closed his eyes, the blond remembered the words of his vampire mother before her capture:

 _"Remember, Mikalea, I do this for love of you_!"

It was the first time Mika had ever heard Krul speak the word 'love'. Until then, he didn't even think vampires could feel such a thing and that he was the exception because he was still so young but he was wrong. Mika should have known that all vampires, regardless of age, also craved companionship, affection, and yes, even love, just as much as humans. Perhaps that was another reason Krul had chosen to turn him; because she wanted someone she could actually trust among the vampires who served under her because she knew he no desire for her power like Ferid. All Mika wanted from his dame was the chances she could provide him to find Yuichiro which she did, even only because she needed his power as well. Krul had indulged and accommodated Mika far more than any of her subjects and he had to admit that she had been more of a mother to him than his real one ever was. Perhaps in that way, Krul truly did love Mika and her love was far more genuine than Ferid's twisted affections for him.

"So how long do you think it will be before they make their move?" Yuu asked, snapping Mika out of his thoughts.

"Who? The humans or vampires?"

"Both."

"Honestly, I don't know. But if I had to guess, I would have to say the vampires because they are not as fragmented as the humans are now. But humans are persistent, I'll give them that."

"Maybe. But I notice that a lot of vampires are pretty laid back and don't exert effort unless they must. I bet the vamps are waiting until they completely recover from their losses before they come looking for us. Like your friends, Crowely, Lacus, and Rene."

Mika snorted. "They are no friends of mine, Yuu-chan. But you're probably right. Humans, on the other hand, are impatient. It wouldn't surprise me if the JIDA have been trying to find us ever since we left Nagoya, regardless of their losses."

"They might. The question is, what will we do when that happens? Maybe we should let them find us; they could lead us to the people we're looking for."

"Are you crazy, Yuu-chan? Do you have any idea what the JIDA or progenitors will do to you if you fall into their hands? Either of them?"

"I'd rather not. The solution is simple then: I won't let myself be captured. If I did, I wouldn't be able to fulfill my promise to you, won't I?" Yuu answered with a wink.

Despite the gravity of their situation, Mikalea was astonished that his brother could still joke about it. It wasn't because Yuu didn't acknowledge the possibilities that the JIDA as well as the vampire progenitors could subject him to a fate far worse than death, it was because he wanted to lift his brother's spirits and try to make him think positive for a change.

"Hey, Mika?" Yuu began as he tried to change the subject.

"Yes, Yuu-chan?"

"Is it really that bad? You know, being a vampire and all?"

Mika was startled as the question caught him totally off guard. Not long ago, he might have berated any human who asked him such a question but after what they've been doing nearly every night since Yuu had woken up from his coma as well as the request his brother made of him just the night prior, Mika thought it was a fair question since Yuu was genuinely curious and needed to know what he would be getting himself into if Mika granted his request and he wasn't going to sugarcoat the truth if he wanted the other boy to make a wise decision.

"Its been the reason I wished I was dead on more than one occasion" he admitted. "Imagine not being able to eat or drink anything, only blood. Imagine never being able to go out during the day without a UV guard, or grow up, change over time, have children, outliving the humans you cared for, and..." Mika looked towards Yuu "being forced to live on like this forever until you are killed or choose to end your own life."

Not it was Yuu's turn to be startled. "End my own life? Are you saying there are vampires who have?"

Mika nodded. "Not long after I was turned, I noticed that suicide rates were astoundingly high among the common vampires. Krul had told me that the majority of them end their own lives by going out into the sun unprotected when they finally grow weary of living. Usually after two to three centuries of life. Sometimes as little as one. I was curious about this and asked her why. Do you know what she said, Yuu-chan?"

The ravenette shook his head and he prodded the blond to continue. "No, what?" he asked curiously.

"She had laughed and said 'Do you know how few vampires have the stamina for immortality? How quickly many of them perish of their own will? The world changes, my pet. We do not. There lies the irony that finally kills us!'"

Yuichiro was taken aback at his brother's answer. So it wasn't the constant thirst for blood or the fact that they could not age, have children, or enjoy sunlight that drove most vampires to eventual suicide; it was the fact that they were forced to keep on existing long after their human loved ones pass on, year after year, century after century. And that was the last thing he wanted for Mikaela.

The ravenette leaned closer to his blond companion and gently took Mika's face in his hands. "I can only imagine what it must be like to live on and on forever like that. But if _I_ were with you, would it be so bad?"

Mika blushed at the feel of Yuu's warm touch. "Maybe not. But you have no idea what its like, being forced to drink the life force of another to survive or go mad from thirst, being stuck at the age you were turned, knowing you will never be able to have a real family of your own or watching everyone you have ever loved and cared for age and die while you are forever frozen in time. I can't imagine that kind of life, not for you, Yuu-chan..."

Yuichiro could not help but smile as he took Mikaela into his arms. Some things never do change; his brother was so self-sacrificing that it would forever be hard for him to admit when he wanted something. Or someone. "Mika, you're so stubborn, do you know that?" he teased. "You don't have to keep giving me reasons why this is a bad idea. I know. And its my choice, isn't it? What I want do with my humanity?"

"I don't want you to get into something you may regret later..."

"I'll never regret any choice that allows me to be with you, Mika. You know that" Yuu said as he pressed his forehead to Mika's.

The blond laughed softly. "Thank you, Yuu-chan. Neither would I. But seriously, please give it a little more time, ok? Who knows, we may find the cure for my vampirism tomorrow or in the near future."

Now it was Yuu's turn to laugh "Yeah, I know. I will, Mika. If it will make you feel better." As he says this, he kisses the top of his brother's head while playfully ruffling his soft blond hair.

Not too far away, Shinoa Hiragi watched the scene between the Hyakuya brothers unfold as she hid behind a tree to avoid alerting them to her presence. She had come to tell them that dinner was ready before catching them in an embrace. Though she knew spying was bad manners, the Hiragi girl's curiosity got the better of her so she chose to watch them for a bit before making herself known. Even though she pretended not to notice, Shinoa had already guessed that Yuu and Mika's relationship had gone beyond friendship and beyond family. Never in her life had she seen two young men more devoted to each other in more ways than one and she felt that it would be wrong to come between them so Shinoa thought it best if she kept her own feelings to herself, at least for now. Taking a deep breath, the Hiragi girl finally stepped out from behind the tree and made herself known to the young pair on the beach.

"Mika! Yuu! Dinner is ready!"

The two young men turned and saw their squad leader calling to them from a distance. Standing up, Yuu brushed the sand from his pants before offering his hand to help Mika up which he accepted.

"Coming, Shinoa!" Yuu shouted back cheerfully like an excited child. Mika smiled. This was the Yuichiro the vampire had gown to love so much. The innocent boy who wanted nothing more than to see the world outside of Sanguinem and with the people he loved most. Yes, sooner or later, they would have to leave the peaceful village and move on. There was still much to be done before the war's end. But for now, they will enjoy happy moments like these as they last.

 **A/N: Ok, so I think I will end this brief series here. This is my personal take on what happened with Shinoa's Squad in the 3-4 month time gap after escaping the battle of Nagoya until Ferid and Crowley finally came for them. I wrote a brief sequel that I posted separately that takes place shortly after this series as well, 'Farewell, My Concubine'. I hope you all enjoyed reading what I came up with and greatly appreciate reviews! Thanx for reading! ;)**


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